


Untouched

by StarFromPhoenix



Category: Captive Prince - C. S. Pacat
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Auctioning Of First Time, First Time, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Loss of Virginity, M/M, Nikandros/Laurent relationship so quick if you blink you miss it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-01
Updated: 2019-05-02
Packaged: 2020-02-09 13:51:41
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 23,342
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18639394
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarFromPhoenix/pseuds/StarFromPhoenix
Summary: “Desperate times call for desperate measures,” Nicaise said, staring right into Laurent’s eyes. Laurent shook his head, not knowing what Nicaise had in mind. “We’re going to auction off your virginity.”Laurent sat frozen. “What?”“You heard me. We’re going to auction off your virginity. Rich men all over the world will bid and the highest bidder will get to...”Laurent took a moment to digest it all. “How... how do you even know about these things, Nicaise?” Laurent asked, although by now, having been best friends for years, Nicaise knowing this shouldn’t surprise him.“I get paid to hack and write viruses, Laurent, I’ve been all over the dark web. Anyway. What do you say?”Laurent took a deep breath in. He needed money. Lots of money. And fast. “What do I have to do?”





	1. The News

It was a cold miserable rainy day in November. It was Sunday, four days before Thanksgiving. Laurent hated Thanksgiving. It was a reminder of the anniversary of his parents’s death... He sighed as the light turned green. At the moment, all he wanted to do was to  _not think_. He soon turned into the parking lot of his boyfriend’s apartment building. He found a spot as close to the door as possible, pulled the hood of his black hoodie on and ran to the door. He buzzed Nikandros’s apartment. 

“Hello!”

“Hey, it’s me,” Laurent said. 

“Come on in me!” 

The door buzzed and Laurent pulled it open. 

His brother, Auguste didn’t know about Nikandros, but he suspected, Laurent was sure. Auguste though, was trying to give Laurent space. 

“If you need anything, come talk to me, ok? I always have your back,” Auguste always said. 

“Ok,” Laurent always replied. But he hadn’t told him about Nikandros yet. It was still new and Laurent was feeling it out. To be honest, Nikandros was the first real boyfriend Laurent had had. He was 17 and hadn’t dated at all in high school. Having lost his parents young the last thing he wanted was to form relationships with people that he knew would not last... 

He walked down the hallway. He slid the hood of his hoodie off and slid his hands through his shoulder length blond hair. Nikandros lived on the first floor. The door opened up before Laurent got to it. Nikandros was in a muscle tank and basketball shorts. Laurent rolled his eyes. He was always hot somehow while Laurent was always freezing it seemed. 

“Hey,” Nikandros said, greeting Laurent with a quick kiss. 

“Hey,” Laurent replied as he stepped in. His apartment smelled amazing and Laurent’s stomach grumbled. 

Nik laughed. “Hungry?”

“Apparently!” Laurent said slipping off his shoes and pulling off his hoodie, smoothing his hair down again. He saw how Nikandros’s eyes wandered over his lithe body. 

Nik had just finished cooking dinner and gladly served Laurent a plate. They sat at the kitchen counter and dug in. 

“Slow down Speedy Gonzales, I don’t want you to choke,” Nik said laughing. He was drinking a beer. Laurent had apple juice. Laurent smiled. He looked over Nikandros’s chest. Being alone with Nikandros always made him a little nervous. He had told Nik he was a freshman in college so Nik assumed he was already 18... he hadn’t told him he had skipped a year in middle school. But if they lasted two more months til he turned 18, then no harm done, right? 

Laurent and Nik had met by pure luck. Laurent worked part time at a pizza place and Nik had called for pizza. The delivery driver had called out sick that day, so Laurent had had to take his place. He had delivered Nik’s pizza and when he had gotten back to his car, he had realized one of his tires was flat. He had tried to call his job, it was late and he didn’t want to bother Auguste. He was a high school teacher, like his wife, Ada, and they both had to get up early.

“Everything ok?” Had come the voice from behind him. Nik had walked out to his balcony. “I noticed you hadn’t left and so I just wanted to make sure everything was alright.”

Nikandros had helped him to change his tire and then gave him his number. Laurent waited a week and then had called Nikandros. He was hot. Tall, tanned skin and black hair. Pretty dark eyes. He was Greek. But Laurent wasn’t sure if he was the one... 

“All done?” Nik asked. 

Laurent nodded. “I’ll wash my dishes,” he offered. 

“No need. Go relax,” Nik said motioning to his living room. 

Laurent walked over and sat on the couch, pulling his right leg to his chest. Nik finished with the dishes pretty quickly and joined Laurent on the couch. They were kissing soon enough. Nikandros pulled Laurent on top of him, sliding his warm hands under Laurent’s shirt. They had done this plenty of times. Make out. They had given each other hand jobs a few times and last week Nikandros had given Laurent a blowjob, it had been Laurent’s first and it had been  _amazing_... but that was it. Nikandros was 24 and Laurent wondered how long he would wait for  _more._..

“Wanna go to the bedroom?” Nikandros asked. 

Laurent pulled back. He opened his mouth to answer... but he didn’t know what to say.  

Nikandros let out a breath and leaned back on the couch. He slid his hands out from under Laurent’s shirt. He looked away. 

“I’m sorry,” Laurent said quickly.  

“No, don’t be,” Nikandros replied. He took hold of Laurent’s hand and seemed deep in thought. 

“Do you hate me?” Laurent asked. 

“No,” Nikandros said furrowing his brow. “No... I know you’re... young,” Nik said with a chuckle. 18. He assumed Laurent was 18. “You’re not ready. It’s cool.”

“Is it?” Laurent asked sliding off Nikandros and sitting beside him. He was suddenly not feeling good enough.  

“Well, I don’t have a choice, do I? I’m not gonna force you, Laurent.”

Laurent looked over at him, biting his bottom lip. “But you would rather we would, right?” Laurent asked. He wished for Nikandros to say he was  _ok_ with waiting instead of saying he had no choice but to wait.  

Nik shook his head. “Whatever, let’s not talk about it, ok?” He picked up the tv remote control and turned the tv on. 

Laurent dislikes this about Nikandros. He never wanted to talk about anything, as if avoiding talking about stuff made the problem disappear. Suddenly Nik’s phone rang. 

“Hello?” Laurent glanced at Nik. “Oh hey! Yeah... No, come on over I’m not doing anything.” Laurent furrowed his brow. “Ok, yeah, see you soon.”

He hung up and started flipping channels. “Are you serious?” Laurent asked.  

Nik looked over at him. “What?” He asked confused. 

“I’m not doing anything,” Laurent said, mocking Nikandros angrily. Nik furrowed his brow. “What about I’m hanging out with your boyfriend?” 

Nik rolled his eyes. “Well, we’re not  _doing_ anything so what’s the harm of me having some friends over if all we’re  _doing_ is hanging out? The more the merrier no?”

Laurent was filled with rage. “Fuck you!” He said and pushed off the couch. He could feel the hot sting of tears in his eyes. All he wanted was to be with Nik and try to forget what time of year it was. Not to spend an evening tolerating Nikandros’s stupid friends. 

“Yeah I wish you would  _but_ -“

“Oh FUCK OFF!” Laurent yelled pulling on his hoodie. The words came before he could control his anger and disappointment. “You know what?! Maybe it isn’t me not being ready! Maybe it’s YOU! Maybe I just don’t want  you  to be my first!”

They both froze. Laurent hadn’t meant to say all that. 

“You’re a  _virgin_?” Nikandros asked surprised.  

Laurent felt his face burn. He turned to leave but Nikandros was quick. He grabbed Laurent by the arm and blocked his way out the door. Laurent felt panic, like a cornered animal. 

“Ok, I thought we were just taking it slow because you’re still young but a  _virgin_ , Laurent?! When the FUCK were you going to tell me?”

“Never!” Laurent said out of anger and panic. “Never because like I said, I don’t want you to be my first.” He couldn’t meet Nikandros’s gaze. There was a few seconds of tense silence. “Let me leave! Get out of my way!”

“I don’t have to put up with your bullshit, Laurent! You’re really cute and smart and all! But I don’t want to or have to put up with your childish bullshit.” 

Laurent gave him a look that could kill. He was childish now? Well Nikandros could go to hell, he thought. “The don’t! We’re done!” Laurent said angrily. “Not get the fuck out of my way!”

Nikandros moved aside. “Fucking brat,” Laurent heard him say as he quickly unlocked his door and rushed out the door, slamming it shut behind him.

 

* * *

 

Laurent didn’t want to go home. He was crying and he knew Auguste would ask why. He called his best friend. 

“Hey hey!” Nicaise said. 

“Hey,” Laurent said sniffling. 

“Dude! What’s up?” 

“Nikandros and I just broke up,” Laurent said, voice cracking. 

“Oh! I’m sorry dude, come over!”

“Ok,” Laurent said. 

 

* * *

 

Laurent awoke with the sun shining in his eyes. He winced and turned his face and got a face full of dark curls. Nicaise’s dark curls. Laurent pushed him aside. 

“Dude!” Nicaise complained and rolled away. 

Laurent sat up and rubbed his eyes. He had texted Auguste last night and told him he was spending the night at Nicaise’s. It was Monday, three more days till Thanksgiving. Laurent let out a deep sigh. He reached for his phone which he had left charging on Nicaise’s bedside table. 

“You alright?” He heard behind him. 

“Yeah,” Laurent said. 

“Sorry bout Nikandros.”

“It’s ok,” Laurent said and turned to look down a Nicaise. “He wasn’t the one.” 

Nicaise nodded and stretched. Laurent and Nicaise had met in third grade. Nicaise was new and he had been assigned a seat beside Laurent. They had been inseparable since. Now, both 17, Laurent had started college and Nicaise was in his senior year of high school. They were still just as close. When he was going through the worst of it back when his parents had died, Nicaise had been there.  

Nicaise had also been supportive when they were 13 and Laurent was going through some confusing shit. “So I think you’re bisexual,” Nicaise had said.  

“Bisexual?” Laurent had asked. 

“That’s when you like both boys and girls. I read about it online...” Nicaise was always online. He was always on a computer. He had convinced his father to buy him one at 9 years of age and by 14 he was building his own. At 15 he was programming and now at 17 he was getting paid to hack and other ‘shady shit’ as he put it. Laurent was the only one that knew this. 

“Just don’t go to jail,” Laurent had told him when Nicaise had confessed it. 

“I’m only doing it when I need to. My dad has been drinking more lately and I heard my mom tell my aunt we were two months behind on our mortgage...”

Nicaise had been sitting beside Laurent when at 15, he had told Auguste and Ada he was gay. It had been two years of figuring things out and Nicaise has been with him through it all. Nicaise knew Nikandros had been the first guy Laurent had done anything more than kiss with. 

“Ok, well, as long as you knew he wasn’t the one,” Nicaise said and yawned. That’s something Nicaise said, ‘The One.’ Laurent wasn’t sure if he believed in that or not. Regardless now, Laurent didn’t think he could ever face Nikandros again. He was too embarrassed about how it all had ended... but deep down he knew it was for the best...

As if on cue, his phone vibrated. It was a text from Nik.  

_Can we talk?_

Laurent stared at the screen. He shook his head and shoved his phone in his jeans pocket. 

 

* * *

It was almost 2 pm and Laurent decided he should go home. 

“Well, let me know what you want to do on Thanksgiving. My dad will be drunk and my mother will go to my grandma’s,” Nicaise said. 

“You’re not going to your grandma’s?” Laurent asked. 

“No dude. She’s had her last three cats stuffed!”

Laurent gave him a look. “Never bothered you before..?”

Nicaise sighed. “I have a job.”

Laurent knew what that meant. “Ok. Well, maybe you can just come over after you’re done?”

“Yeah I should be finished by dinner time.” 

“Ok,” Laurent said. He and Nicaise fist bumped and Laurent left.

 

* * *

 

Laurent was almost home when his phone rang. It was Ada. 

“Hello?”

“Laurent?” She sounded breathless. Panicked and breathless. Laurent’s heart skipped a beat. 

“Yeah? What happened? What’s wrong?”

“I got rear ended. Um.. can you come get me? Auguste is at home with Audrey and I don’t want to worry him...”

Laurent turned around and drove off as quickly as he could. 

 

“Fuck,” Laurent said. He looked at Ada’s car. He looked at her. “You’re ok though?”

She nodded. Laurent put his arm around her shoulders. She wiped the tears off her face. A cop came over to talk to them. “Ma’am, sorry to tell you this, but the other driver didn’t have insurance.”

Ada and Laurent stared at the cop. “What?!” She said. 

“He’s being placed under arrest now. The car wasn’t even his. We got the owner on his way if you want to wait and get his info but -“ 

“But I’m fucked!” Ada said shaking her head. “Fuck!” 

“Sorry, ma’am,” the cop said and nodded at them and walked away. 

The day was long. Ada hadn’t wanted to go to the doctor but Auguste insisted and had made an appointment for her the following day. The car was taken to a mechanic and it turned out it had been totaled. Laurent had thought as much.

 

Two days later, a day before Thanksgiving, Laurent had fallen asleep on the couch and was woken by the hushed conversation in the kitchen. 

“Well the gap insurance will cover the rest of the car but I still have to get another! We had a low payment on that one because dad signed for me, remember?” 

Laurent sat up. Ada’s dad had passed away about 10 months ago. 

“We’ll figure it out, ok? We’ll be ok.”

There was a silence and Laurent was sure Ada and Auguste were hugging. He knew Auguste and Ada truly loved each other. Maybe Nicaise was right about finding the one after all.

 

* * *

 

Thanksgiving came and Nicaise showed up for dinner with a couple of pies. Laurent invited him to spend the night.  

Once dinner was done and everyone had 2 slices of pie, the table was cleared and dishes washed. Nicaise entertained Audrey, Laurent’s 2 year old niece, while Laurent helped Ada and August.  

“Oh sweetie, go hang out with Nicaise. We got this,” Ada said. 

“No. It’s cool. Plus, I’m sure your back hurts?” Laurent asked Ada.  

She smiled and kisses his forehead. Laurent patted her back. She was as much his sister as Auguste was his brother. They were his family. He loved them.  

Finally everything was finished and Laurent gave Audrey a high five and they all went to bed. Laurent and Nicaise went down to the basement. Ada and Auguste has finished it for him, he had helped of course, and it was his private space in the house. It even had its own bathroom.  After they had settled in bed, Laurent laid in his back, staring at the ceiling. 

“Has Nikandros tried to contact you?” 

“Yeah, he’s texted a few times,” Laurent answered. He kept staring up at the ceiling.

Nicaise could tellthere was something else bothering Laurent.  

“Are you missing your parents?” Nicaise asked. He knew Thanksgiving was a hard time for Laurent. 

Laurent sighed. “I mean... we’re going through a hard time,” Laurent answered, looking Nicaise’s way. Nicaise nodded. “The guy that hit Ada didn’t have car insurance and now Ada will have to get another car.” 

Nicaise furrowed his brow. “Are you worried about money?”

“I just want to make sure Audrey has a good Christmas.” 

Nicaise nodded. “I got extra money.”

“I’ll pay you back,” Laurent said quickly. 

“Hey man, you’re good. You’re family, Laurent.”

Laurent nodded. “Thanks.”

They chatted a while more until they drifted off to sleep. 

 

* * *

 

 

The weeks that followed were slightly stressful. Laurent did all he could to help and Ada and Auguste noticed. They were grateful and thanked him often. He let Ada use his car as much as he could when he didn’t have school or work and helped with Audrey whenever possible which was probably the best part of it all, his niece was a sweet little girl. 

It had been hard when Laurent’s parents had died. They had been renting the house and the owner let Laurent and Auguste stay a month rent free. Their dad had had a small life insurance policy through work and that helped pay for their funerals. Auguste and Ada had only been dating about six months but, amazingly, her parents took them in. 

They had let Auguste and Laurent stay until Auguste and Ada finished college, Auguste with a scholarship. After college they had married. Laurent then had moved with them into their small two bedroom home. He had gotten a tuition only scholarship. He worked part time to help pay for his books and other costs. Auguste and Ada were paying for his car insurance and cell phone, which he knew on their teacher salaries was a lot for them to be doing for him. This was why Laurent always did all he could. He had been cared for wonderfully, as much as Ada and Auguste has been able to do and he would always be grateful.

 

The second week of December as Ada and Auguste were having another hushed conversation, Laurent walked into the kitchen with an envelope in his hand. 

“Hey,” Auguste said, suddenly trying to look cheerful.  

“Hey,” Laurent answered. He held the envelope out hand shaking a little bit. 

Auguste took it, frowning. He opened it. “Laurent you don’t -“

“Yes I do,” Laurent said. He had prepared a little speech. “I was 10 when mom and dad died and you did all you could.” He told Auguste. He then looked at Ada. “And I’m so happy Auguste was already dating you because if your parents hadn’t taken us in I don’t know what would have happened to us. To me.” 

“Oh, sweetie,” Ada said as she saw the money in the envelope. 

“Anyway, you can’t say no because actually it’s for Audrey because every kid deserves a happy Christmas. You guys always made sure I had one. It’s $250. It’s my gift to her. It’s not much -“ 

“Laurent it’s a lot. More than enough. Thank you,” Ada said and wrapped him in a hug. Auguste came and wrapped his arms around both of them.  

Laurent felt really good. 

 

* * *

 

Christmas passed and Audrey was happy. The money provided her with more than enough toys. Nicaise came over for New Years and then Laurent said he was looking forward to his birthday third week of January. 

“So, you still ignoring Nikandros?”

Laurent nodded. “I’m just not sure what to say to him,” Laurent confessed.

”Did you love him?” Nicaise asked.

”No,” Laurent answered and Nicaise nodded, he could tell Laurent was telling the truth.

Nicaise let out a sigh and looked up at the Christmas tree in the living room. “So what you wanna do for your birthday? We got three weeks.” 

Laurent grinned. He was about to open his mouth and answer when the front door opened. He turned and saw Auguste and Ada walk in. Audrey was passed out in Ada’s arm. 

“Hey!” Laurent called out. They didn’t answer. Laurent sat up. Auguste walked into the living room. Laurent could tell something was wrong. “What is it?” He asked. 

Auguste glanced at Nicaise. 

“He’s like family,” Laurent said and Auguste knew he was right. He sat down beside Laurent and took a hold of one of his hands. Laurent’s heart sank. “What’s wrong?” He asked. 

Ada walked back inside the living room. Laurent noticed she had been crying. “I’m... so... I’m sick, I have this kidney condition apparently,” Auguste began. 

Laurent half heard, half... didn’t. 

“I have to do this treatment monthly...” Auguste continued.  

“Will your insurance cover that?” Nicaise asked. 

Auguste stayed quiet. “No,” Ada said. “No, but um, there are programs to help pay and we’re going to do all we can and apply to all of them.” 

“How much is each monthly treatment?” Nicaise asked. Laurent could already see the cogs in his brain turning. 

“They’re $850 each,” Ada said.  

Laurent felt his eyes widen. “Can you die?” 

Auguste looked right into his eyes. “Well, complications can eventually lead to death, I’m eventually going to need a transplant...”

Laurent closed his eyes. He couldn’t take anymore. 

 

* * *

 

Laurent laid in his bed. Nicaise was on his laptop tapping away. “We need money,” Laurent said.  

“I know,” Nicaise answered. 

“What can I do to get money fast?” Laurent was considering robbing a bank, but with cameras today he would never get away with it. Plus, Auguste would be so disappointed and they wouldn’t be able to keep the money and then he would be in jail when he needed to be available to baby sit Audrey. 

“I... I have an idea, Laurent. One that will get you a shit load of money.”

Laurent sat up. “How much are we talking about?”

“Thousands. Maybe even over a hundred thousand.”

“Would I have to rob or kill someone? Does it involve drugs and can it get me arrested?” Laurent asked.

“No,” Nicaise answered.

Laurent eyes widened, his heartbeat pounding. “I’m listening,” Laurent whispered.  

“Desperate times call for desperate measures,” Nicaise said, staring right into Laurent’s eyes. Laurent stayed quiet, not knowing what Nicaise had in mind. “We’re going to auction off your virginity.”

Laurent sat frozen. “What?”

“You heard me. We’re going to auction off your virginity. Rich men all over the world will bid and the highest bidder will get to...” 

Laurent took a moment to digest it all. “How... how do you even know about these things, Nicaise?” Laurent asked, although by now, having been best friends for years, Nicaise knowing this shouldn’t surprise him. 

“I get paid to hack and write viruses, Laurent, I’ve been all over the dark web. Anyway. What do you say?”

Laurent took a deep breath in. He needed money. Lots of money. And fast. “What do I have to do?” 

Nicaise got to work. He showed Laurent the website. It was an auction site and there were pictures of young men and women. They’re faces were mostly obscured, a profile here, a face turned away there, but their bodies were very much on display.  

“We have to take some tasteful nudes,” Nicaise said. “But they won’t see your face until they bid. This site keeps bidding open for 21 days.”

21 days. “On my birthday. It’ll be over on my birthday,” Laurent whispered. He got up and looked around his room. “Where should I pose?”

“Your bed?” Nicaise asked getting up quickly. “Here, let’s change the comforter.” They got to work quickly. Nicaise even grabbed the artwork Laurent had and placed it on his bed propped up by the wall. They were abstract paintings of flowers. Laurent undressed. He was comfortable with Nicaise and well... he didn’t let his mind dwell on what he was doing. Nicaise took several pictures with Laurent’s iPhone. They flipped through them and decided on his profile picture and then five more for the bidders.  

“Ok, now let’s set up your profile,” Nicaise said. Laurent slipped on pants and sat beside his best friend. “You need a name...” he furrowed his brow. 

Laurent’s mind was drawing a blank. “Uh... most of my usernames are Prince Laurent or Prince De Vere,” Laurent said. 

Nicaise nodded. “What’s a synonym for virgin?” Nicaise wandered out loud and googled it. He began to read out loud. “Unsullied, untainted, unadulterated, pure, immaculate, pristine, unmarked, unblemished, untouched...” Nicaise looked up at Laurent. “Untouched Prince!”  

Laurent shrugged. “Yeah sure! Set up my profile!”

“Ok!” Nicaise said. Laurent looked on as he got to work and asked Laurent questions. They were cheesy, mostly. Would he love cuddling a cat or dog or other. Did he prefer cake or cupcakes, and some cringe worthy ones like his deepest fantasy and how often did he masturbate and who his celebrity crush was. It took almost an hour, loading the rest of the pics and setting up the profile. “Ok,” Nicaise said. “So, bidding will start when we’re done. The bidders will be notified when they’re outbid. Once they’ve bid, they’ll be able to email you at the address we just made with their server. That address can only be used for this and once the business has been completed, it will no longer exist. Their email will be from the same server.”

“Ok,” Laurent said, heart pounding. He had downloaded their app to his phone so he could keep track of his bids and messages. 

“There’s an option to video chat, it says here you should video chat the top three bidders and try to persuade them to bid more!”

Laurent rolled his eyes. “Ok,” he said. 

“Ok, so now,” Nicaise looked into Laurent’s eyes. “What do you want the bidding to start at?” 

Laurent stared at Nicaise. He swallowed. “What’s my virginity worth?” He asked.

Nicaise but his bottom lip. “It’s priceless, Laurent, but -“

“Start at $100,000,” Laurent said in a sure voice. 

Nicaise raised his eyebrows. “Ok,” he said and Laurent watched as he typed it in. They looked at one another. “You sure?” Nicaise asked. 

Laurent reached over and clicked the DONE tab. “No going back now,” he said. 


	2. The Outbidding

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Obviously... I _don’t_ know how these things work so it’s all fiction ladies and gentlemen ;)   
> Enjoy!

The following day Laurent ignored the pings of notification from the auction app. He knew each ping was a bid and probably the following ping a message. They had to bid to be able to message him and the minimum raise to the bid was $1,000. He was surprised how many pings he got. He had started at $100,000 because he thought if he only got one bid, it should be enough. Out of curiosity, when bidding had started, he went back and checked the other auctions (he was one of 23) he was the second highest starting bid. Someone had started at $125,000 but apart from that, every one else’s starting was mostly around $50,000 to $75,000.

When it had been 24 hours, Laurent decided to check his app. He figured he should at least read the messages and maybe thank the bidders... right? He took a deep breath and opened up the app. His eyes widened. The top bidder was at $276,000. 

“Fuck,” Laurent said. With that money they would have money for whatever August needed medically and pay for the co payment for his kidney replacement and pay off the house and buy a new car for Ada without financing it. 

He went to the messages. He had over 40. Some were from repeat bidders. He read them all first. Most were talking about how beautiful he was, how they couldn’t wait to fuck him, about 4 dick pics, of course, asking if he thought he would be able to take it. Laurent rolled his eyes. He decided to answer back to the top three bidders. 

The top bidder had only said he was beautiful. He went into his profile but there wasn’t much there. Laurent thanked him. He did the same with bidder number two, who asked how could someone so beautiful still be a virgin. Laurent replied he was saving himself for a special occasion and then proceeded to thank him and let him know he was his second highest bidder. The third bidder was a dick pic and a message asking him if he could take it. Laurent took a deep breath.  _It’ll be tight, but I’m sure we will be able to fit it in. You’re my third highest bidder! xxx_ he wrote. He sent it before he could regret it.  

He looked over his profile once more. There was a spot where he could leave a note, he decided to write something.  _Thank you all! Will message the top three bidders daily!_ He nodded, pleased, and then closed the app. 

 

The following days the pings kept on coming but he noticed there were fewer and fewer each day. A week later he was at $353,000. Two weeks into it Laurent was at $378,000. He was in awe a bit. There seemed to be one guy who kept bidding for him. He didn’t have much in his profile just that he worked in Silicone Valley. Laurent went to message him. He bit his bottom lip. Out of curiosity he clicked where it said payout. The website took 1.5% of the cost. It said they would be contacted once the bidding was done, but that a 25% deposit would be given within 24 hours once the bidding was complete, they rest would be given after. It said if nothing happened, the money would be taken back. 

Laurent messaged his top bidder.  

_One more week to go! You’ve pretty much been my highest bidder from the beginning... I hope I’m not over stepping, but may I ask your name, age and maybe have a picture of you? Thank you xxx_

He quickly messaged the following two bidders. At least now there were no more dick pics. As he wrote the last message, a message in his inbox came in.  

**Yes, one more week. My name is Randy and I live in California. I’m 37. I will be very respectful... you are so beautiful! I’m so smitten! Could I have a picture too? Clothed is ok!**

And then there was a picture of Randy. He was just an average Joe. Light brown hair, beard and glasses. He was in a red polo. Laurent chuckled. He wasn’t ugly, he was an average guy and he had always been very respectful and had never once sent a dick pic. He looked over the picture as he breathed in and out. Exactly what you expect someone from Silicone Valley to look like, he thought. Laurent looked through his pictures in his phone and decided on one where he was sticking his tongue out, giving a rock on sign. 

_Nice to meet you Randy!_

He captioned the pic. He couldn’t believe this guy was gonna dish all this money out... of course, Laurent would be giving something too... but it only had to be that one time. He could do it. He  _would_ do it. He had no choice. 

 

It was two days later and Laurent was coming to terms with Randy. He had spoken to Nicaise about it. 

“So how will you explain your absence if he wants you to go to California?”

“Will you come with me?” Laurent asked. 

“Yes,” Nicaise said without missing a beat. “You know if you decide not to do it, you can just give the money back.”

“I know,” Laurent said. 

“Ok,” Nicaise said with a little smile. 

 

Nicaise had gone home and Laurent had showered and pulled on some sleep pants. There were five days left until the bidding closed. He grabbed his phone and got in bed and opened up his app, ready to message Randy and whoever was second and third in the bidding. He froze. He blinked. He closed the app and opened it up again, just to make sure there hadn’t been a mistake. His hand was trembling. His bidding price was $500,000. He went to the messages but there was no message from the bidder. There was a message from Randy. 

**I’m sorry. I can’t afford that much. I’m so sad about this.**

Laurent wasn’t sure what to say. Randy was the second highest bidder at $381,000... why would someone bid so much when it was unnecessary to do so? He messages Randy back. 

_I’m as surprised as you. Thank you for everything!_  

Laurent went back to his profile. It said the highest bidder’s profile name was ‘Exalted1’ ... Laurent clicked on it. There was nothing. Just a picture of a white beach and blue ocean water. All the questions were unanswered. His heart was pounding like a jackhammer. He had to message him for fuck’s sakes. His fingers were trembling over the phone. 

_Hi. Thank you for such a high bid. If it would be ok, could you tell me your name and age and where you’re from? Also, a picture would be nice! ;) Thanks xxx_  

Laurent looked at his phone and it pinged right away. He unlocked his phone quickly.  

**I’ll do you one better sweetheart, how about we video chat?**

Laurent’s heart leapt to his throat. “Fuck!” He said. He could do this. 

_Yes!_

Laurent was really nervous. 

**We can do it here or we can Skype or FaceTime. Anything you want sweetheart**

Laurent didn’t know how he felt about being called sweetheart but if the man was paying half a million for him, he could call him sweetheart, couldn’t he?

_Here is fine_

He quickly smoothed his hair and sat back against his headboard. He was topless but that was ok, the man was paying to fuck him for god’s sake. It was maybe 10 seconds later and his screen changed with the request coming in. With a trembling finger, Laurent accepted. 

His eyes widened as the screen opened and there on the other side, smiling at him, was the most handsome man Laurent had ever seen. 

“Hi, sweetheart,” he said. He had an accent. It was sexy. He was tanned, soft dark brown curls framed his face. He had beautiful, soft brown eyes and long gorgeous lashes. His lips were full and as he looked over Laurent he began to grin, he had a cute dimple on his left cheek. Laurent was a bit blown away. 

“Hi,” he said softly, suddenly feeling shy. He felt like what he normally felt when he had been alone with Nikandros, but ten times worse. “I’m, um, I’m Laurent. What’s your name?” 

“Damianos,” He said, grinning wider. He was in a baby blue dress shit and gorgeous diagonal silver and blue striped tie. 

“Are you Greek?” Laurent asked, grinning as he heard the name. 

“I am,” Damianos replied. He took a sip from a coffee mug. 

Laurent grinned. “Are you dressed for work?”

“Yes,” he said, licking his lips. 

“What do you do? How old are you?” Laurent couldn’t help but ask. He looked young. Much younger than 37 year old Randy.

Damianos chuckled. “I work in my father’s business. I can give you more boring details in person. I’m 24.” 

Laurent felt his eyes widen. 24. Nikandros’s age. He saw a bit of similarities between Damianos and Nikandros, but Damen was the more beautiful of the two men. Laurent was a sucker for the tanned skin and dark hair, although Damen’s seemed more brown than black. He loved the dark eyes. 

“Laurent, if you don’t mind me asking,” Damen began, tilting his head and giving him another dimpled grin. “Just, I’m sure you had plenty of suitors. You’re a gorgeous young man. Why are you doing this?”

Laurent couldn’t help but grin back. He shrugged. “I need the money,” he said honestly. 

“For...?”

Laurent sighed. Figured he may as well be honest with Damianos. “My brother got sick and the treatment is expensive and -“

“Laurent!” Damianos said.  

Laurent looked at him. “Yes?”

“Please, I hope that is not a lie!”

“No it isn’t,” Laurent replied shaking his head. He went on to detail Auguste’s illness. “And he needs several treatments and his insurance doesn’t cover them, so...” Laurent shook his head. “Here I am.” 

“Laurent,” Damianos said shaking his head. “You are amazing.”

Laurent felt himself flush down his neck and chest. “Thank you,” He said quietly. 

“I’ve added to the bid. You deserve it all. I have to go to work. May I message you when I’m home? Maybe we can chat again if possible?” 

“Yeah. Yes,” Laurent said. 

“Great. Chat soon Laurent.”

“Chat soon,” Laurent whispered and Damianos gave him a wink before the screen went back to his messages. Laurent went into his profile and almost had a heart attack. Damianos had indeed added to the bidding alright. His highest bid was now as $1,000,000. 

 

* * *

Laurent had laid awake for a long while but had finally fallen asleep. When he awoke he found another message from Damianos. 

**I just realized it’s early morning there so you must be sleep. Let me know when a good time would be for another video chat. Btw my friends call me Damen.**

Laurent smiled. “Damen,” he whispered. Was this really happening? It seemed insane. He called Nicaise. 

“Hey hey,” he answered yawning. 

“I have a new high bidder,” Laurent said.  

“Oh, not Randy?”

“No,” Laurent answered. “It’s a Greek guy. He’s 24. Damianos.” Laurent smiled, liking the way his name felt on his lips. “But he said his friends call him Damen. He is so fucking  _hot_!” 

“What is it with you and Greek men?” Nicaise asked. 

“For the record they both came after me,” Laurent reminded Nicaise. “Nikandros gave me his number and Damen -“

“Bought your virginity,” Nicaise said chuckling. 

“Fuck,” Laurent said. His heart was hammering. “I’m...I mean I don’t know him! He could be a mother fucking serial killer for all I know!” Laurent shook his head. “But... he was so fucking hot!”

“Well, I’m glad you’re feeling this instead of the opposite,” Nicaise said. “And I again, you can always just return the money.” 

“Right,” Laurent said nodding. He knew this was true.  

“Well you still have four days left,” Nicaise said. “Randy may still outbid him.”

“Uh, no,” he said. “No. No one will.”

There was silence from Nicaise. “What’s the bidding at?” He asked.  

“Well when I got on yesterday it was at $500,000,” Laurent told Nicaise. “Damen and I video chatted and he asked me why I was doing this and I mentioned Auguste’s health issues.”

“Ok.”

“So then he said, oh I upped the bid. And he raised it to a million dollars.”

Silence. “Uh.. What?” 

“A million mother fucking dollars.”

“What the fuck?”

“Yeah.” Laurent’s heart was pounding still. “I know.” 

“Is he... like is he a fucking criminal?”

“I don’t... he said he helps with his family business.” 

“Shit. Wish I had a million dollars to throw around.” 

“Tell me about it!” Laurent said. “Ok, I’m gonna message him!”

“Ok, keep me updated!” 

“Will do. Bye.” Laurent hung up to message Damen. He didn’t have class till the afternoon so he was free for a couple of more hours. 

_Hey! Just woke up. I have a couple of hours before I have to go to class, so we could chat if you’d like to and are able to._

It was about 40 minutes later when the request came in and Laurent quickly answered it. He was on the swivel chair of his computer desk. He had a royal blue turtle neck on and his hair was up. He grinned when he saw Damen’s face. His heart palpitated. Damen was in a gray v neck knit sweater with a white crew neck underneath. 

“Hi!” Laurent said. He tried to not smile like an idiot but he couldn’t help it. He knew nothing about Damen so he was keenly aware his nerves came from the strong physical attraction he felt. He wondered if they had met somewhere public how he would have gone about trying to get to know him.  

“Hi!” Damen answered. “That’s nice, how your hair looks up.”

“Thank you,” Laurent said. He bit his bottom lip. “I’m glad you had time to message me. Last night seemed so surreal, this proves I didn’t dream it all up!”

Damen let out a gorgeous laugh. “No you didn’t dream any of it sweetheart.” Laurent smiled at the name. It was growing on him. “So we have 4 days left. When can we meet?”

Right. Right. Damen was paying to have sex with him. To take his virginity. “So do you live in Greece?”

“Greece and Paris.”

“Wow,” Laurent said raising his eyebrows. “That’s pretty cool.”

“Well, it’s all for the family business,” Damen said.

“Which is what?” Laurent asked. 

“We’re just business owners,” Damen said in his sexy accent. “From retail stores to banks, but actually mostly banks, we own business all over Europe.”

“Oh so you don’t live in Greece?” Laurent asked.  

“My home technically is there, but I’m mostly in Europe. We’re in business in the US as well, banking.”

“Oh!” Laurent said. “So you come here as well?”

“I do yes, east coast mostly. Where are you?”

Laurent’s heart was hammering in his chest. This was becoming more and more real. “Seattle.”

Damen nodded. “Never been there.”

“No?” Laurent asked. 

“No,” Damen said licking his lips. “Heard the coffee is good though.” 

Laurent chuckled. He couldn’t take his eyes off Damen. “Why... I mean, you’re...” so fucking hot, he thought but didn’t say it.

Damen grinned. “What am I doing on a website bidding on your virginity?” 

“Yes,” Laurent said, blushing slightly.  

Damen let out a breath and ran his hand through his hair. “My friend told me about the website and I had looked through it here and there. It’s a bit of a fantasy, I guess?” Damen shrugged. “I had never thought of bidding ever until I saw you.”

Laurent’s heart raced. “You liked what you saw then?”

“Of course,” Damen said licking his lips again.Laurent realized Damen might not even be meaning it to be a sexual thing but Laurent couldn’t help feeling it was. “I have never seen anyone as beautiful as you.”

“Likewise,” Laurent said. He looked away now, feeling a bit shy. 

“So, when can I come and see you?” 

“Once bidding is over, you can come the weekend after.I’m in school, so, I figured a weekend would be best?”

Damen nodded and seemed to think about it. He bit his lip as he thought. “Seattle,” He said. Laurent nodded. “So bidding is over on Monday. So that weekend after? First weekend in February?” Laurent nodded again. Damen also nodded. “Yeah, I have to be in New York the weekend after. Mind if I stick around a few days? Maybe you can show me around Seattle?”

Laurent’s mouth opened in surprise. “Yeah!” He said. “Well, I.. well Tuesday I don’t have any classes and I can take the day off work and we can.. yeah I can show you around!” 

“Great!” Damen said. “So, how about I fly in Friday? It’ll be a long flight from Paris to Seattle and I’ll need time to just have a night to sleep properly. Then Saturday we can meet for lunch. You spend the night with me and Sunday, you go home?” Laurent nodded. “Then Monday you do your thing, I do mine, we can spend Tuesday together. Depending how that goes maybe dinner Wednesday. I’ll leave for New York Thursday. Which is perfect because I have some things I need to do there anyway.”

“Ok,” Laurent said. 

“May I have your phone number?” Laurent have it to him. “I’ll text you,” Damen said and sent him a message through WhatsApp.” 

“Got it,” Laurent said. 

“Ok, I will make hotel reservations and let you know. Did you need me to send a car for you the day off?”

“Uh no, I’ll be fine.”

“Ok,” Damen said and grinned at him. “Can I text you?”

“Yeah,” Laurent said. “Can you send me a picture of you?” Laurent asked and hetruly wasn’t sure why he was asking. 

Damen grinned. “You can follow me on Instagram.” He suddenly saw a link come up on WhatsApp. “Obviously our deal is not something I want to be publicly known?” Damen said. 

Laurent nodded. “I figured. I understand and believe me I want it kept as private as you do,” he said. Damen chuckled and nodded. Laurent looked at the time. “I gotta go,” he said. 

“Ok,” Damen nodded. “Nice talking to you Laurent.”

“Nice talking to you Damen,” Laurent answered. 

“Bye,” Damen said. 

“Bye,” Laurent replied and hung up. He sat there a minute and then went to his Instagram. His eyes widened. He had over 50K followers. He shook his head and tucked his phone away. He would show Nicaise later. 

 

* * *

 

That night when he got home, after work, Laurent checked his profile. The million was still there. Out of curiosity, he checked the other profiles. The person that had begun higher than him was gone, but he had seen yesterday she had only made it to $377,000. Right now, there were a few people over $100,000, but that was it. He figured he didn’t have to message Damen anymore. Randy has sent him a message saying he wished him all the best. Laurent decided to just leave it at that and he didn’t bother messaging his third bidder. He knew no one would outbid Damen. Laurent grinned at that. 

He and Damen has been texting intermittently through the afternoon. Laurent liked that. Right before he was going to start work, Damen had told him he was going to bed. Laurent had wished him a good night Damen had asked him to let him know when he was home. 

_I’m home_

Laurent texted him. He decided to finally check out Damen’s Instagram. Damen had over 2,500 posts. Most where him at parties or at the beach or on a yacht. The parties all over Europe. In at least a third of his pictures there was another guy with dark hair and who never smiled. He had mentioned a brother and Laurent figured it was him. What struck Laurent though was that in most pictures Damen a beautiful blond woman, the same one, or two or three. In Laurent furrowed his brow. He kept on looking and looking and realized Damen was looking super young and then he had pictures with several guys and some girls. There was a period for a few months were it was the same guy. Laurent sighed. After looking for almost and hour, he put his phone down and looked up at the ceiling.  

He began to  really  think about what he was bout to do. In a week’s time, Damen would be in Seattle, sleeping and in 8 days at this time, Laurent would more than likely not be a virgin anymore. He felt a ribbon of nervousness snake through him. Had he and Nikandros never fought, would he be doing this? He didn’t know. Who cares. He was doing it and he would be Damen’s.  _Damen’s_. He grinned. He suddenly realized the thought of him being Damen’s didn’t make him as nervous as the thought of being with Nikandros. Why? Another ribbon of nervousness...

He was so consumed in his thought he almost jumped out of his skin when his phone rang. It was a video chat from Damen. His hard beat even harder. 

He answered and looked and his eyes widened. Damen was in bed. Topless. 

“Hey, sweetheart,” he said with his amazing smile. 

Laurent actually felt his cheeks warm. “Hi,” he answered. 

Damen chuckled. “Do you like it when I call you sweetheart?”

Laurent paused a moment and then gave him a single nod. Damen chuckled again. Laurent smiled, pulling his right leg up and resting his chin on it.

“One week,” Damen said and Laurent couldn’t help but look in his eyes. 

“Sounds like you’re looking forward to it,” he asked with the raise of a perfect eyebrow. 

“You have no idea,” Damen said on a low whisper and Laurent felt his stomach clench. 

 

* * *

 

Two days later, his heart dropped. His price was at $1,016,000. He checked but saw the top bidder was still Exalted1. He quickly texted Damen.  

_Why did you up my bidding price?_

As he looked up suddenly as a flashing countdown appeared. The site was counting down his last 24 hours. 

“Wow,” Laurent said. His phone pinged. 

**I got an email telling me how payout works since I was your top bidder and it said they took 1.5% I want you to have the full million**

Laurent quickly did the math in his head. 

_That’ll give me more than a million_

**By $760. I just wanted to make sure you got your million**  

Laurent stared at the text a moment. 

_Thank you_

He texted. He got a reply soon after.

**Don’t thank me sweetheart. You’re not getting it for free**

Laurent shut his laptop and put his phone down. Damen was right. He wasn’t. He sat there and wondered if he could actually do this. His phone pinged a few times but he ignored it. It was maybe 20 minutes later when  phone rang. It was Damen. He answered 

“Hey, you alright?” Damen asked. He was in a tee shirt with his mug of coffee. 

“Why aren’t you dressed for work?” Laurent asked. 

“It’s Sunday,” Damen answered. 

“You worked yesterday,” Laurent said. 

“Yeah I have six day work weeks most of the time. Seven if I have to travel the weekends.”

“But next weekend you’re not working,” Laurent said quietly. 

“No,” Damen said with a smile. “But I’m allowed to take some vacation days.”

“Looking at your Instagram you’d think you were on vacation all the time,” Laurent said. 

Damen laughed. “Been stalking me huh?”

“Shut up,” Laurent said without thinking and suddenly his eyes widened but Damen was laughing. 

“God I can’t wait to see you in person,” Damen said and he actually looked happy.

“You look tall,” Laurent said.  

“I’m 6’4,” Damen answered. Fuck, Laurent thought. “You?” 

“5’11,” Laurent answered. 

“Hmm,” Damen said with a little half smile. “So, tomorrow when the bidding is complete I’m going to arrange my trip. Also, I’ll have an appointment made for a suit fitting and I’ll let you know the details. Expect the suit fitting to be done no later than Wednesday though, I want to make sure you have time to try it on before I see you Saturday.” 

“Ok,” Laurent said nodding. 

Damen stared at him and Laurent looked away. “Laurent?” 

“Yeah?”

“Look at me.” Laurent did. “I’ll take care of you. Ok? No need to be nervous.” Damen gave him a sweet smile and Laurent actually smiled back. 

“Ok,” he said softly. 

 

* * *

 

Nicaise sat beside Laurent the following night. His timer had 3 minutes on it. Nicaise was browsing Damen’s Instagram on Laurent’s phone and Laurent had his laptop open to his profile. As they got to the last 15 seconds, Laurent nudged Nicaise. They both sat frozen. Then then timer got to 00:00 Laurent’s picture grayed out. A flashing sign that said ‘Bidding Closed’ appeared where the dollar amount had been. Laurent’s phone pinged in Nicaise’s hand. 

“That’s Damen,” Laurent said. He wasn’t asking. He closed his laptop.  

“Yup,” Nicaise said handing Laurent his phone. 

Laurent opened up WhatsApp and saw Damen had sent him a voice message. He clicked play. 

“Sweetheart,” Damen’s voice filled Laurent’s room. His heart hammered in his chest and Nicaise sat frozen as well, listening. “Had to come into work earlier than normal today since I’m missing two days this week. Just got an email though, bidding is closed.” Laurent heard what sounded like a chuckle. “Laurent,” Damen’s message said. “I can’t wait.”


	3. The First Time

Damen had arranged for Laurent to be fitted for a suit the next day. Tuesday. Nicaise, naturally, went with him. 

“Didn’t even know we had a Gucci store in Seattle,” Nicaise said as they stood around waiting. Laurent was nervous. “I mean I’m not surprised just never -“ 

“Mr. De Vere?” Came the voice of an older man with an Italian accent.  

“Yes?” Laurent said nervously. 

“This way, young sir,” the older man said. 

“Come on,” Laurent whispered to Nicaise. “My friend, he’s going to accompany me,” Laurent told the tailor. 

“Very well,” he said curtly and ushered them inside. 

It all went by quickly. But what did Laurent know? He had never been properly fitted for a suit. “I have instruction to have this ready tomorrow and it will be, you’re our top priority, you sir,” the tailor said. “If you would come tomorrow at 12 noon, it shall be done by then.”

“I have class tomorrow. Can I come by 3 pm?”

The tailor looked up. “Yes, that’s alright.”

“Thank you so much,” Laurent said and went to reach inside his jeans pocket for his phone. 

“Oh, that’s quite alright sir, we’ve been tipped quite handsomely already,” the tailor said with a smile that showed the tip had been extravagant. 

“Oh, wonderful. See you tomorrow!” Laurent said and he and Nicaise walked out of the place as if they went there all the time.  

“Holy shit!” Nicaise said once they were enough away. “I feel like you were Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman! But not the part where they won’t help her in the store, but later when she comes back looking all rich and shit.”

They reached Nicaise’s car. “Why do you have scenes of Pretty Woman memorized?” Laurent asked. They climbed inside  the car. “Actually I feel like I’m fucking Demi Moore in Indecent Proposal,” Laurent said, looking down at his phone. 

Nicaise chuckled. “Why do you know who’s in Indecent Proposal?” Nicaise asked. 

Laurent rolled his eyes and texted Damen, to let him know the fitting was done. 

 

* * *

 

The following day Nicaise accompanied him again and Laurent put the suit on.  

“Wow,” Nicaise said looking at Laurent’s reflection in the mirror. 

“Indeed,” the tailor said. 

“You going to wear your hair up or down?” Nicaise asked. 

“Whatever Damen wants,” Laurent said without thinking and blushed at his answer when he realized what he had said.

“You could do half up, or some braids,” the tailor said, surprising both Laurent and Nicaise. They must have shown it because he scoffed and put his hands on his hips. “I was young once too, you know!” He said and they all laughed at this. 

 

Laurent had the suit hanging in a garment bag in the back of Nicaise’s car. He would keep it. Laurent had already told Auguste and Ada he was spending the weekend with Nicaise. This happened so often nothing was thought of it.  

Nicaise noticed Laurent staring at his phone. “What?” He asked. 

“Damen set up a new back account for me,” Laurent said in a soft whisper. “Bank Of America so I can use it anywhere.”

“Ok,” Nicaise said. 

“It already has half a million in it. He’s only supposed to give me 25%. Which he did yesterday. Now it has $500,000.” Laurent let out a breath. “I can’t believe it.”

“Well, you’re going to believe it Saturday night when he’s -“

“Yes. Yes.” Laurent said waving his hand and looking out the passenger window.  

Nicaise took a deep breath in. They still had about an hour before they were home. “Laurent if you can’t -“

“No. It’s fine. Damen is hot as fuck. I’m...” Laurent shook his head. “I hope when I meet him in person he gives me the same butterflies he does right now,” he said softly. 

Nicaise suddenly worried in a completely different way. “Laurent you can’t fall in love!” Laurent felt his face warm. “Like, I mean... this is a one time deal. Well, if you choose to have sex more than once, that’s cool, but chances are after he leaves -“

“Yes, I’m aware,” Laurent said. Nicaise looked at him but quickly turned back to the road. He had browsed Damen’s Instagram. Damen was really good looking, he couldn’t deny it. And here he was, giving Laurent all this money, money which would save Auguste’s life. He was sure, in a way, Damen might seem like a knight in shining armor. On top of it all, Laurent was about to lose his virginity to him. Nicaise felt a weird knot form in his stomach. He truly hoped he hadn’t set his best friend up for heartache. 

 

* * *

 

Laurent was in class Thursday afternoon. He had his phone on his lap. The text came in but it was a voice message. 

“Fuck!” Laurent said softly to himself. He quickly texted Damen. 

_In class so I can’t hear it but I’m sure you’re about to board?_

The answer came soon enough 

**Yes. I’ll text you next when I land. See you soon sweetheart**

Laurent’s heart hammered in his chest. 

_See you soon_

Laurent let out a sigh. It was happening. 

 

* * *

Laurent kept waking up Friday morning, it seemed, every couple of hours. He was waking up and checking his phone. He sighed at 5:12 and just sat up in bed. 

His phone suddenly rang. Laurent couldn’t answer it fast enough. 

“Hello?” He whispered. 

“Hey sweetheart,” came Damen’s voice. 

Laurent grinned. “Hey. Are you here?”

“Yeah getting my luggage. I’ll be staying at the Four Seasons,” Damen started. “Tomorrow when -“ 

“Why can’t I see you today?” Laurent said. He had been thinking and wondering about it. Why not today? 

He seemed to actually have caught Damen by surprise. “Sweetheart I had nothing planned for us today. I was just going to rest up and stay in my hotel room -“

“So?” Laurent said. “Maybe... I mean we can just get to know each other more. Before, you know...” he drifted off. Damen chuckled. “I have school today, anyway, this afternoon, I have a class so I mean, I won’t be able to be there until like 4 pm so that gives you eleven hours to rest.” Laurent was rushing his words. His heart felt as if it was going to burst out of his chest. 

“How can I say no to you, sweetheart?” Damen said. “Call me when you’re on your way. I’ll let the front desk know and show you up.” 

“Ok,” Laurent said, grinning. 

 

* * *

 

Laurent changed and changed and changed till he thought he was going insane. He finally just dressed like he would have any other day. Why pretend? He pulled on a navy blue turtle neck and dark jeans with his combat boots and pulled his hair up. He grabbed his stuff for school and took off. 

Between classes he texted Auguste and Ada told them he was going to Nicaise’s home beginning today instead of tomorrow for the weekend. Once he was done his last class he called Nicaise. 

“Hey hey,” Nicaise said. 

“I’m... I’m going to go see Damen now.”

Nicaise coughed. Hard. It sounded as if he was choking. “What?!” He finally said.  

“I’m going now. Just got out of class. I -“

“But I was supposed to drive you!” Nicaise sounded upset. 

“I’ll be fine. I didn’t want to wait! I wanted to see him a day before we did it! Just hang with him and -“ 

“And nothing! Laurent! He isn’t your new boyfriend! Ok!” Laurent was surprised at the tone Nicaise had. “He’s payed to fuck you, man! He’s not in love with you!”

Laurent shook his head. “I’ll call you later. Bye.” He hung up. Nicaise called him back but Laurent didn’t want to answer. He knew Nicaise meant well, but the words had hurt. They hurt and Laurent didn’t want to think about it. He turned his radio on loud and just focused on driving. 

 

Laurent reached the Four Seasons. His heart was pounding. His phone rung in his hand. It was Nicaise. Laurent answered it this time. 

“Laurent, I’m sorry. I’m sorry, don’t hang up!” Nicaise said before Laurent even said hello. “I’m sorry. I was a dick. You’re my best friend. I don’t want you hurt and this is weird and it was my idea and my god, Laurent, if.. if you end up heart broken in any way I’ll never ever forgive myself!” 

Laurent smiled. “It’s ok,” he said. 

Nicaise sighed. “You there?” 

“Yeah.” 

“Be careful. Please.”

“I will be,” Laurent said. 

“Ok. Call me later.”

“I will,” Laurent answered. He hung up and then called Damen. 

“Hey,” came Damen’s deep warm voice over the phone. 

“I’m here,” Laurent said. 

“Alright. I’ll call the front desk. Can’t wait, sweetheart.”

“Same,” Laurent said and hung up. He stepped out of his car, knees wobbly. He pulled his backpack on. It took him a moment to start walking towards the hotel. He looked around the large, spacious lobby and walked to the bustling front desk. 

“Yes, sir?” A woman with a wide smile said looking up at him. 

“I’m here to see Damianos Akielos,” he said. 

“Oh! Yes,” she looked around. “Charls! Please show our guest to the Presidential Suite on the 10th floor?”

Laurent looked around and a man came and extended a hand out. Laurent walked and they got into an elevator. He felt this was unnecessary. If some had just told him, tenth floor, turn left or right or whatever -

_Ding_  

Laurent looked up. They were on the tenth floor. He let Charls step out first and then followed him. His heart was hammering in his chest. He had his back pack on and wondered why he had brought it. It had his books and laptop. It would have been stupid to leave it in the car but he suddenly felt silly for having it. Childish. 

They reached a door and he saw Charls extend his hand out, he intended to knock on Damen’s hotel door.

“No!” Laurent said. Charls was startled and froze. “No. No. I got it. Thank you.” He nodded and left. Laurent stood and watched him walk down the hallway and turn the corner. This was it. Laurent closed his eyes and counted to five. He knocked. 

It took a moment. He actually wondered about knocking again and then the door flew open. 

“Hi.” It was him. It was Damen. Curls and tanned skin and medium stubble and soft brown eyes and gorgeous full lips that were smiling wider and wider. With a dimple on his left cheek. He was tall. 6’4 he had said? He stepped aside. “Come on in,” he said pleasantly.  

Laurent stepped in. He realized he had not said hi back. He knew it was rude, but... he couldn’t talk. He turned to face Damen and stared at him again. 

“Here, let me take that,” Damen said in a friendly voice, as if Laurent’s silence was normal, and helped slide his back pack off him. “Heavy!” He said lifting the backpack with a cute chuckle as he started walking. Laurent followed. “Come on I’ll show you around,” he said with another perfect smile. He seemed to be ok that Laurent had been rendered speechless. They turned left down a hallway and then right into a dining room. It could seat eight. Damen placed his back pack on one of the chairs. He pointed and walked to the right, Laurent followed. “It has an office,” he said. Then they crossed the dining room and walked into a breakfast nook which sat four and then into a living room. It was gorgeous. The corner was floor to ceiling glass windows. The sun was shining bright outside. “I must say, Puget Sound is beautiful,” Damen said pleasantly.  

Laurent nodded. “It is,” he finally said.  

Damen turned to face him now, the huge window and the clear blue sky and glistening ocean making a bit of an unreal backdrop to Damen. He had recently showered. His hair was still a bit damp. He was in a plain crew neck white shirt, muscular biceps showing. He had really soft looking gray pants. They were a bit baggy, hanging a bit low, but had snug cuffs above his ankles. He was barefoot. 

“Laurent,” he said softly. Laurent looked up into his eyes. He extended a hand out. “Nice to meet you,” Damen said. 

Laurent reached out and shook his hand. It was warm. Firm. “Nice to meet you, Damianos.” Laurent let out a breath and gave him a small smile. 

Damen held on to his hand and stepped closer. “You nervous?” He asked. Laurent nodded, heart hammering in his chest anew. Damen kept coming closer and stepped right up to him. He seemed so huge. He was half a head taller than Laurent and so much more muscular and broader. “Don’t be,” he said and kissed Laurent’s forehead. 

For reasons he truly couldn’t explained, Laurent felt himself pressing closer to Damen. He  wanted  this closeness. He placed his palms on Damen’s chest as he felt him wrap his arms around his waist. “No need to be,” he said gently. He kissed his forehead again. “I’ll take care of you.”

Laurent let out a soft breath. He could feel Damen’s heart beating as well. It was steady and sure. 

“Now, you came here early,” Damen said. Laurent swallowed. “Tell me what you want.” 

Laurent looked up into Damen’s eyes. Their faces were mere inches apart. Why was Damen asking? Couldn’t he tell? He had obviously done this many times before, no? With countless partners, Laurent was sure... Maybe he wanted Laurent to say it. To admit it. 

“Isn’t it obvious?” Laurent said and his voice sounded so steady it surprised even him. 

Damen grinned. His hands slid under Laurent’s top. They were so warm. They felt good. “I’m a little surprised at your eagerness,” Damen said in husky whisper. 

“Why?” Laurent asked, feeling more bold now. “Just because I’ve never had it, I’m not supposed to want it?” Damen’s eyes flashed with something else. “Have you not seen yourself?” Laurent said and leaned in and kissed Damen. Laurent was aware, it was he who leaned in, it was he who kissed, it was he who pulled Damen in. Damen kissed back. He wasn’t pushy about it. He was wonderful. He followed Laurent’s cues perfectly, almost as if he could read his mind and kissed him exactly how Laurent wanted to be kissed.  

Laurent had been thinking a lot the last couple of days. He knew Damen had tomorrow planned. He had the suit to prove it. It was strange... He knew Damen had chosen him and had paid for him but this was Laurent’s first time. He would never get this back and he had wanted  _some_ control over it. So he thought he would come uninvited. He would choose this.  _He_ would be in control.  

Laurent moaned into his kiss and Damen pulled him even closer. They pulled back and Damen held Laurent’s face in his hands, his thumbs caressed Laurent’s cheeks. “I want to know,” Laurent said. He swallowed. “If you had met me somewhere else, at a party, a club, whatever, would you have -“ 

“Yes,” Damen said before Laurent finished the question. “Fuck, yes!” And he pulled Laurent in hungrily. This time it was Damen taking charge and the kiss was deep and passionate and so breathtaking. When they finally pulled back, Laurent was panting and his lips were pulsing. 

“Where’s the bedroom?” Laurent asked, walking backwards. 

Damen squinted his eyes slightly and gave him a sexy half smile. “Full of surprises, aren’t you sweetheart?”

Laurent couldn’t help but grin. He had never felt this with Nikandros. It was insane, he barely knew Damen. He was practically a stranger, and yet...  

Damen gave Laurent an intense look and lifted him up, Laurent wrapped his legs around his waist and his arms around his neck as they kissed again, hard, tongues dancing between their lips. Damen walked through the suite, Laurent was barely aware of the surroundings. Suddenly they were falling on a bed and Damen was laying on him. He felt so good. The pressure of his body felt wonderful against Laurent and Laurent felt himself push tight against Damen’s body, seeking friction.  

Damen pushed up. He was panting and laughing breathlessly. “You’re sure?” He asked. His eyes were darker. 

“Can’t you tell?” Laurent asked. He didn’t want to think.  

“Answer me,” Damen said a bit more seriously.  

“Yes,” Laurent whispered and pulled Damen onto him again. This kiss was quick. Damen then pulled up and got on his knees, taking his shirt off. Laurent stared at the tanned chest. Then he looked up at his eyes. Damen reached and started unlacing one of Laurent’s boots. He threw it to the side then unlaced the other and pulled it off, tossing it to the other side. 

He crawled towards Laurent, the look in his eyes making Laurent practically tremble with anticipation. When he reached Laurent they began to kiss again. Hungrily. Laurent pushed on Damen’s chest, hard, and he understood and laid on his back. He grinned as Laurent climbed on top of him, pulling his turtleneck off.

“Take your hair down,” he said with a sexy half smile and Laurent obliged. He leaned down to kiss Damen. It was nice. Unexpected. Laurent felt in control. He got bolder still and as they kissed he pushed his hips down and Damen moaned into Laurent’s lips. It was utterly intoxicating. He looked down at Damen as he pushed his hips down again and another moan escaped his lips. 

“You want me?” Laurent found himself asking. 

“Of course I want you,” Damen said looking up at him. “You’re perfect.”

Laurent grinned at this. They began to kiss again and Laurent put Damen’s hand on the front of his jeans. He pushed his lips hard against Damen. He felt his hands as they unbuttoned his jeans and zipped down his fly. Damen gently flipped them around and began kissing down Laurent’s neck and chest as he worked his jeans down.  

“Take my boxers off,” Laurent said and Damen looked up at him. Laurent could feel the question coming. “I’m sure!” He said with such clarity that Damen obeyed. Laurent smiled as he watched Damen undress him. Laurent was half hard already and he saw how Damen smiled. Laurent suddenly wondered why he wasn’t nervous to be naked in from of Damen. “Now you,” Laurent said with that same clear voice. “Let me see you.”

Damen chuckled as he got up on his knees and pulled his pants down. He didn’t have any boxers on and as he pushed the pants down, his half hard cock came into view. Laurent knows he’s staring but can’t help it, taking in the size of Damen. “Fuck,” he said softly. 

“Like what you see sweetheart?” Damen asked sounding pleased at Laurent’s reaction.

Laurent nodded. Damen grinned and got back on the bed, crawling to Laurent. They laid naked on top of the covers. Laurent willingly opened his legs for Damen to lay on top of him. Damen worked down his neck and Laurent cried out at the feel of Damen’s teeth at the base of it. Damen sucked. Hard. Laurent cried out again, a bit more softly. 

“Fuck, could you be any more perfect?” Damen said. Laurent stayed quiet. “Your hair,” he said breathlessly. “Your pale skin.” Laurent felt his body growing hot. “Your gorgeous body and perfect cock.” He felt Damen stroke him. Laurent groaned and arched his back as his body reacted to Damen’s touch. He was so hard. 

Damen kissed down his chest, he tugged at Laurent’s hard right nipple with his teeth. Laurent moaned loudly. Damen grinned. He continued with the kisses and gentle bites, some more gentle than others and then... 

Damen got up. He was fully erect, as was Laurent. He pushed up to a seating position as he watched Damen go to a leather over night bag and dig around. He brought a bottle of lube to the bed. Laurent’s heart thumped hard against his ribs. Damen gracefully got back in bed and was quickly on top of Laurent. They kissed a moment more and then he pushed up. 

“You’re so beautiful,” Damen said softly as he caressed Laurent’s cheek. “I am going to be gentle, I promise,” he said. Laurent simply nodded. He didn’t know how to take control of this now, he had to trust Damen. 

“Is... ah,” Damen suddenly looked shy. Laurent stared at him. “May I suck you?” He asked.  

Laurent’s eyes grew a little large, he nodded quickly as he panted. He pushed up on his elbows as he watched Damen kiss and suck down his body. His body had red marks scattered over it. Damen’s not so gentle bites, he thought and he smiled at the thought and then Damen took him in his mouth. 

“Oh  _fuck_!” Laurent couldn’t help but loudly exclaim. It felt  _amazing_. He fell back on the bed, eyes squeezed shut. He was so hot. His body was so hot. Suddenly he felt his orgasm coming. He cried out but had no time to warn Damen and then he exploded in Damen’s mouth. He cried out again, louder. Really loud. He grabbed fistfuls of sheets and his toes curled as his knees bent. He felt like he came forever and Damen swallowed it all.  

He stared as Damen pushed up on his hands. “Good?” He asked. Laurent nodded silently. “Good,” he said and then he went for Laurent’s mouth again. Laurent kept his eyes open as Damen kissed him, sliding his tongue into Laurent’s mouth. He could taste himself there. It was unmistakable. He closed his eyes and opened his mouth wider, letting Damen push in. Before he realized it, he felt himself growing hard again. Damen felt it too. 

“Ready for more?” He asked.  

“Fuck me,” Laurent said. 

Damen pushed up and looked down at Laurent. His eyes were intense. “What was that sweetheart?” He asked. 

Laurent knew he had heard him. He just wanted to hear Laurent say it again. “ _Fuck_.  _Me_.” Laurent repeated accentuating the words. 

Damen’s grin was the sexiest thing Laurent had ever seen and he melted into Damen’s body as he began to kiss and suck and bite Laurent all over. He was panting and all the touching was almost dizzying but it all felt so good. So good. He felt Damen push his left knee up. Laurent regained focus. He saw Damen reach for the lube and pour some of his fingers. Laurent let out a breath. His heart was hammering again, his bravado gone. 

Damen leaned in and kissed him. Laurent clenched up as Damen touched his entrance. He gave a little whimper. “Relax,” Damen softly murmured on his lips. Laurent panted a few seconds and then gave a nod in understanding. Damen kissed down his jaw softly. “Just relax, baby,” he said tenderly and Laurent did. He sunk into the mattress and this time when Damen’s fingers rubbed there, he was ready.  

Damen pushed in. “Aahh,” Laurent moaned. 

“Mmmmm,” Damen responded. “So tight.” 

Laurent closed his eyes and focused on the feeling of Damen’s fingers working him open. He relaxed and opened his legs further and he began to enjoy the sensation. Damen was soft and gentle and delicate. He felt the ache of a second finger being added. He whimpered as he took it. It felt good. So good.  

“Fuck” Damen said and he continued to gently stretch Laurent. Laurent moaned and groaned and whimpered. This lasted for a small eternity. Laurent was keenly aware of how much he wanted  _more_. Laurent felt Damen pull his fingers out. He gasped softly and opened his eyes. Damen was staring down at him. “Fuck, if you could look at yourself,” he said softly. His eyes roamed Laurent’s body until they finally landed back on his eyes. 

They looked at one another a moment. Laurent knew, as Nicaise had plainly said earlier, this wasn’t  _love_. This wasn’t  _affection_. This was just  lust.  Damen had  paid  for this. This was... this was... 

Damen leaned down and kissed Laurent gently. Tenderly. He slid his left arm under him, his large palm wrapping around his shoulder. His right hand reached down and lined their bodies up. Laurent stared at him the whole time. Then their eyes met again. Damen held his gaze and Laurent felt him slide in. 

Laurent held his breath. He felt the burning ache. He made a soft noise as Damen slid out and held his breath again as Damen slipped back in, deeper this time. They looked into each other’s eyes. It took a few more times and then Damen was finally all in. Damen held him and leaned down, giving him soft, tender kisses. He sighed and began to softly kiss Laurent’s cheek as he began to make love to him. 

Laurent wasn’t sure what he had expected. He had imagined a rough, hard fucking. Something quick and probably painful. He figured Damen had loved to dominate and bend his partners to his will... a small part of Laurent actually fantasized about it like that. 

Damen moaned softly as Laurent wrapped his arms around his shoulders, his right foot flaton Damen’s calf. He closed his eyes. Damen was moving in him with control and with care and it felt incredibly sensual and amazing. Laurent’s body felt so alive. Every nerve ending was pulsing in a warm and amazing way. Laurent slid his right foot up, sliding his leg around Damen’s waist, he simply couldn’t open himself up enough for Damen. 

They bodies seemed to blend into one. Laurent loved hearing the soft moans and groans that escaped Damen’s lips every so often. Laurent whimpered slightly as Damen pushed in a bit deeper. He felt so hard. Laurent pulled Damen closer. Damen kissed along his jaw as he pushed in harder. Laurent’s breath caught in his throat.  

Damen began to move more deliberately in him. “Come,” he heard Damen say eventually after a wondrous moment of love making.

Laurent reached down at his achingly hard cock and began to stroke it. It didn’t take long. Everything felt so good. Laurent groaned loudly as he came in hot spurts between them. The moment he had completely emptied himself, Damen grabbed a firm hold of him, wrapping his fingers around Laurent’s shoulders. He began to fuck Laurent.  

Laurent wrapped his arms and legs around Damen, so as to try to steady himself, it half worked. Laurent’s body slid on the soft sheets on the bed as Damen’s delicious assault continued. It felt good. Amazing. Laurent cried out, his whole body felt so sensitive after having climaxed, his nerve endings on fire. Damen went even faster, harder. For a moment, Laurent wondered what if he couldn’t take any more? What if he just couldn’t? What if Damen never slowed and only went faster and harder and -

“ _FUCK!_ ” Damen cried out and Laurent felt all of his body shudder and his cock twitch deep inside him as he came.Laurent groaned too. It was intense and he had somehow pushed deeper still. Laurent held him tight, as he kept coming. He held on for dear life until Damen relaxed and collapsed on him slightly.  

They laid there, panting. Sweaty. Blissful. Without much thought, Laurent turned his head to the side and softly kissed along Damen’s cheek. Damen chuckled softly. “Mmmmm,” He said and kissed Laurent’s jaw. Laurent softly ran his fingertips up and down Damen’s shoulder blade. He felt the shiver go through Damen and the goosebumps formed and they both laughed softly. 

Laurent blinked his eyes as the room came more into focus. The sun had changed. He felt Damen gently slide out of him. The both groaned softly. Damen pulled out and rolled to his side and off the bed and Laurent was suddenly cold. He shivered. He walked off quickly, Laurent couldn’t stop staring at him. He came back soon after, with a damp towel and handed it to Laurent. Laurent cleaned himself, shyly. He felt a shiver go through him and Damen got back in bed and lifted the covers finally. Laurent chuckled as Damen wrapped them around both of them.  

Damen pulled him close. Laurent nuzzled his face in Damen’s neck. He gave it a small kiss. “Stay the night,” Damen said softly. 

Laurent grinned. He swallowed. “Ok,” he said. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last two chapters will be posted tomorrow!!   
> Hope you enjoyed!! Let me know what you think so far!


	4. The Unexpected

They laid in bed and Laurent stopped shivering and began to feel warm. Once he was warm, he leaned into Damen who was caressing his back. 

“How was it?” Damen asked softly. 

“Good,” Laurent answered back just as softly. 

“Did it hurt?” Damen asked tenderly. “I know I tend to lose control at the end,” he said almost apologetically. 

“No, it was perfect,” Laurent said finally looking up at him. 

Damen looked down at him and grinned. “Good,” he said and leaned in and kissed Laurent. The softness of his kisses surprised Laurent. He wrapped his arms round Damen. As they kissed softly Laurent could pretend... He could could imagine Damen was all his and this is how they spent weekends.  

Damen continuedto kiss Laurent tenderly. Humming softly as he did so. Laurent chuckled. “You act as if you really like doing this,” he said. 

“But I do,” Damen said pushing up on his left elbow and looking down at Laurent, running his thumb along his cheekbone. 

“No, I mean,” Laurent began and opened his mouth to explain better but closed it and blushed at the way Damen was looking at him.  

“ _I do_ ,” Damen said, furrowing his brow. 

They stared at each other a moment and then Damen leaned down and the soft and tender kissing began again. Damen travelled down his jaw and neck and Laurent could do nothing but moan and enjoy it all. It felt so good. Damen took his time and kissed Laurent all over his chest. It seemed endless. Laurent slid his hands in Damen’s curls and tugged at them gently.  

“If you keep going I’m going to get hard again,” Laurent confessed. He could feel the stirring of desire between his legs. 

“Maybe I want that,” Damen mumbled into Laurent’s skin. Laurent looked down, watching as Damen travelled with his lips anywhere he pleased. Once Laurent was hard, he began to suck him again. 

Laurent’s hips lifted to Damen’s mouth. He watched but somehow couldn’t believe it still. Damen’s tongue swirled around his erection. He slid Laurent’s hard on out and sucked on Laurent’s sensitive tip. “Fuck!” Laurent said panting. Damen kept up his pace and soon enough Laurent was coming for a third time. 

He laid still, panting. His thighs were trembling. He opened his eyes and found Damen looking down at him with a smile on his lips. 

“You have really nice eyes,” Laurent said. 

“So do you,” Damen said. “And really nice skin.” His eyes wandered Laurent’s body which was uncovered. “I... I got a bit eager in some spots,” he said and touched Laurent at several places. Laurent sat up and then got off the bed and walked to the bathroom. His eyes widened as he looked at his reflection. There was a hickey at the left side of his neck, at the base. Another on his chest. There were red marks scattered all over. Laurent knew there were bite marks. Damen walked into the bathroom. He was naked. He leaned on the doorway and looked at Laurent. Laurent eventually turned to face him and he couldn’t keep the smile off his face.  

“I like them,” he said. 

Damen shook his head and pulled him close to squeeze him tight. 

 

* * *

 

Laurent and Damen were in bathrobes sitting in the living room. They had each taken a quick shower and Damen had ordered room service. Laurent had texted Nicaise, telling him they would talk tomorrow. He let him know he was spending the night. 

**Omg are you thinking of doing it?**

Nicaise had texted him. 

_Already did it_  

Laurent had answered. He texted him a quick bye and put his phone to charge. The hotel provided chargers. It kept buzzing he knew it was Nicaise. 

“Someone is trying very hard to reach you,” Damen said. 

“It’s just my best friend being nosy,” Laurent said shaking his head. Damen handed him his plate. He settled beside Laurent. They had both ordered burgers and fries and Laurent had wanted a chocolate milkshake.

Damen picked up the remote control. “What do you like to watch?” He asked. 

“The Office,” Laurent said. 

“Me too!” Damen replied and put some episodes on demand. 

When the food was gone, Laurent leaned into Damen, who wrapped an arm around him. Laurent smiled and relaxed as he cuddled up to Damen. He felt good. Really good. They laughed and chatted about the show which led to other conversations as they began to get to know each other. It was really easy. Damen just made Laurent feel comfortable and he found himself talking and talking and laughing and sharing as if they had known each other years. Damen shared a lot too, about his family and older brother who he had a rocky relationship with.  

“We’re either best friends or can’t stand each other, there is no happy middle,” Damen had confessed. “But the last 5 moths have been worse thus far.” 

Laurent nodded. “Well Auguste and I love each other so much. We’re all we got. Well, he’s all I got, he has Ada and Audrey,” Laurent said not quite meeting Damen’s eyes.  

“I’m sure hearing he was ill and maybe not being able to afford the treatments must have been scary,” Damen said sympathetically. 

“It was,” Laurent whispered. “I had to do what I had to do.” He looked at Damen and suddenly realized what he had said. “But I don’t regret it! I don’t regret you!” Laurent said quickly.  

Damen smiled and held his hand. “Don’t worry about my feelings, ok? I get it. All of it. And maybe it wasn’t the most kosher way to meet but I too am glad we met.” 

Laurent nodded and smiled at Damen. He swallowed. He knew. He knew how he felt, how Damen made him feel. “Are you single?” He asked softly. 

Damen looked at him and searched his face. He was trying to figure out why Laurent was asking, Laurent figured, it should be easy enough to figure out. 

“Uh... I... it’s complicated,” Damen answered. “Actually, I’m still legally married.” 

Laurent sat frozen a moment. He swallowed as Damen watched him. “Married?” Laurent asked.  

“Yeah. I married young, I was 22,” he told Laurent. “I was happy, til last year when I found her in bed with my brother.”  

Laurent felt his eyes widen. “I’m sorry,” he said and instinctively reached for Damen’s hand.  

Damen smiled and reached up and stroked Laurent’s face. “That’s life,” he said. “Christmas she came over with presents and literally tried to act as if nothing, as if we should just move on!” Damen was obviously angry, Laurent heard it in his voice. 

“What did you do?” Laurent asked. 

“I kicked her out,” Damen answered. “I told her to go have Christmas with Kastor. Then I filed divorce papers the next business day.”

Laurent nodded. “I’m sorry,” he repeated.  

“No, don’t feel bad. I will take it as a learning experience. Eventually you see people’s true nature. I always believe, when people show you who they are, believe them. Sometimes it just takes a while for you to see and even longer to accept.”

Laurent nodded. “Still sucks though,” Laurent said.  

“It did,” Damen said with a sigh. “I, actually, I went on the website and saw you, your profile for a week before I put a bid. I would just go and think... well, initially,” Damen began and looked over at Laurent. “And I hope you’re not offended by this.” Laurent shook his head no, he wanted to hear this. “So I wanted to try and deal with my marriage situation and my thoughts were muddled, but I remembered the site, a friend had used it a few times, and there was this strange part of me that thought, I want to be someone’s first. I want to be special.” 

Laurent looked at Damen, taking everything he was saying in. 

“I wanted to be so special nothing could replace me,” Damen said softly. He glanced at Laurent. “I hope that’s not offensive?” 

“No,” Laurent answered.  

“So I went on and I saw you and I... I mean Laurent you’re so beautiful. You looked so perfect and finally, I remember one day at work, something just clicked and I just... I had to... I... had to have you.” 

Damen looked right into his eyes. Laurent felt his heart begin to race. Damen’s eyes were so intense.  

“I  _wanted_ you. For a week I had had these fantasies swimming around in my head and finally it just grabbed a hold of me and I couldn’t wait to get home. And I thought ok, how much so no one else will have you. It didn’t matter. I’d pay whatever.”

Laurent raised his eyebrows. “Why me?”

“You’re just perfect. You’re all I like. The pale skin and blond hair,” Damen said. “I’m mostly into women but I’d been with a couple of guys before and you were just perfect.” 

Laurent nodded. He sat there a moment and looked at Damen. They looked at each other. Laurent was a jumble of feelings. He hadn’t expected this and he was sure Damen had not expected to tell him this. “Bet you didn’t see yourself coming here and sharing this story,” Laurent said softly. 

“No,” Damen confessed. “I wasn’t expecting this. I wasn’t expecting  _you_.”

Laurent nodded. He wasn’t crazy then. His heart pounding, he pushed up on his knees and pulled on the sash of Damen’s robe. Damen didn’t stop him. He let him. Laurent pushed the robe open, Damen’s naked body was on display. Laurent opened his own robe as well and straddled Damen. 

“And are you pleased?” Laurent asked in a soft voice.  

“I am beyond pleased,” Damen answered him.  

They began to kiss again. Laurent wanted more. More and more and more. He almost felt as if he would never get enough. They pulled back panting. Laurent slipped the robe off this shoulders and leaned in, taking Damen’s face in his hands. They kissed hungrily again. 

“Fuck me here,” Laurent whispered. “Here, right here.”

Damen grinned and chuckled. “You’re so fucking perfect.”

“Why?” Laurent asked pulling back. “Just because I want it so bad?”

“Well, I take it as not just wanting  _it_ but rather wanting  _me_ ,” Damen said.  

Laurent grinned. “Yes,” he said nodding. “I had a boyfriend who I broke up with two months ago because he wanted sex and I wasn’t sure, I wasn’t ready.” 

Damen let out a surprised chuckle. “Is that so?”

“Yes,” Laurent said grinning. He had his hands in Damen’s hair, caressing it. “But with you...” Laurent trailed off.  

Damen pulled him into another heated kiss. Laurent pulled Damen tighter to him, their chests pressing against each other. Damen’s large hands slid down his back and squeezed his ass. Laurent moaned and thrust his hips forward, erection rubbing on Damen’s abdomen.  

They pulled apart and Laurent gazed down at Damen. “Laurent,” He said softly. Laurent pushed in and kissed him deeply again. It felt so good. Each kiss felt better. Damen’s hands slipped down and gripped the back of his thighs. Laurent moaned on Damen’s lips. It was dizzying and intoxicating and Laurent had never felt anything like this before. 

“So you want it here on the couch?” Damen asked and Laurent nodded quickly. Damen grinned. “Let me go get the lube,” Damen said and Laurent slid off him. He watched as Damen got up, naked, and walked to the bedroom. Laurent loved how he strutted with confidence, as if he owned the place. Laurent bit his bottom lip and then watched as Damen walked back to him. Laurent looked up his body to Damen’s eyes.  

Damen quickly pulled him back on top. He leaned in and kissed Laurent with such passion it left Laurent breathless. Laurent felt Damen’s tip at his entrance. He moaned and Damen gently bit his jaw and slowly guided Laurent’s hips down, groaning softly as he slid into him. Laurent’s heart raced. He waited a moment, purely feeling Damen inside of him. It was wonderful. It was heaven. Laurent opened his eyes and looked at Damen. Damen was gazing back it him. 

“Is it always like this?” Laurent asked. 

Damen swallowed. He licked his lips. “No,” he said so softly Laurent could hardly hear him. “At least for me, it’s _never_ been like this.”

Laurent leaned in. They kissed softly. “I.. can I just.. can you just... stay inside.”

Damed nodded, gently running his hands up Laurent’s back. “Take your time,” he said softly. 

Laurent closed his eyes. He could hear Damen’s voice.  _It’s never been like this_. Laurent rested his forehead on Damen’s jaw.  _It’s never been like this..._

It took Laurent a moment to realize his hips were moving. It was as if his body had a mind of its own. Damen held his hips as Laurent began to ride him. He was uncertain at first. His movements were slow, unsure, even. Damen held him though, made him feel safe. Slowly at first, but as his body took over, he let go. The pace changed. He felt more sure as it all began to feel better and better and then, they were fucking. He loved the way Damen was looking up at him. Laurent couldn’t tell if it was lust, adoration or maybe a mixture of both. 

Laurent came, completely untouched. Damen came soon after. They stayed still, panting. Damen cleaned between them with a robe and after a moment, he got up, Laurent wrapped around him, and walked them to the bed. Laurent barely felt as Damen tucked him in. He curled up to Damen’s chest and was asleep in no time. 

 

* * *

Laurent blinked a few times as he woke up.  

“Yes I’ll be in New York on Friday. Set the meeting up, make it a lunch meeting.”

Laurent rolled over and stretched. The bed felt huge. He ran his hand over where he knew Damen had been laying. It was still a little warm.  

“Yeah, I bought 300 shares right before I left. Buy 300 more, I have a good feeling about them. I want to get in there now, I’m sure their stock will only go up.”

Laurent sat up. He could see Damen pacing in the living room. He looked around for his clothes but couldn’t see it. Damen’s tee shirt from yesterday was at the end of the bed. He slipped it on. It went covered just enough, his thighs were mostly exposed. He started to slowly walk to the living room. 

“Right, well, I’ll be in Paris in two weeks.”

Laurent stopped. Yes. Damen would be gone in a matter of days. 

“Well, set that meeting up then. I can do it in Paris, London or Brussels, I don’t care.”

Damen suddenly turned and saw Laurent. He grinned. He began to walk over to him. He was in jeans and light green knit sweater. To Laurent’s surprised, he wrapped a strong arm around Laurent and squeezed him tight. Laurent giggled and hugged him back. 

“That’s fine. Did you get me the phone number of that Italian business man?” He asked as he squeezed Laurent in a pleasant way. Laurent buried his nose in Damen’s chest. “Great. Thank you. Ok, this is it til Monday. I’ll call you. Please, don’t call me unless it’s an emergency!” Laurent chuckled. “Ok! Bye!”

Damen hung up and pulled back. Laurent grinned. “Good morning,” he said.  

“Good morning sunshine,” Damen answered giving him a kiss on the lips. “You... my shirt looks better on you than me.”

Laurent rolled his eyes. “I doubt it.” 

“My legs aren’t that gorgeous.” Laurent laughed. “I had your clothes laundered. They should be back soon. There’s breakfast in the dining room, come on.” Damen led Laurent by the hand. There was an array of food on the dining room table. Damen pulled out a chair and Laurent sat down.  

Damen sat beside him. “I know you have to go home and get your suit,” Damen said with a smile. “But we have all day. Maybe we can do lunch, you know? No big deal. You can tell your brother and if you wish -“

Laurent coughed violently. He had almost choked on his orange juice. Damen jumped up in alarm, patting Laurent’s back. Once he had calmed he grabbed a bottle of water and sipped. “My brother? You want to have lunch with Auguste? Meet him?”

“Well... well I figured since you spent the night with me, he may want to know I’m... you know, not a serial killer!” Damen flashed his perfect smile and his cute dimple. 

Laurent blinked. “Auguste doesn’t know I’m with you. He thinks I’m with my best friend. Auguste doesn’t know I auctioned... you know?”

“Well, no I didn’t think he would!” Damen said. “But... but I thought you’d just say you were with someone, not... not lie.” 

Laurent gave him a look. “Auguste would have demanded to meet you ahead of time! He’s over protective! I’m half of all his only blood relatives!”

Damen nodded. “Yeah we talked about all this last night,” Damen said. “Right before I told you my brother slept with my wife.” Damen shook his head and looked away. “Ok, so he doesn’t know, but now I can’t even meet him?”

Laurent stared at Damen. “You’re... you paid for sex and you got it and now you’re going home, Damen.” Laurent said. It was the ugly truth and the words hurt Laurent even as he said them. 

The look on Damen’s face changed slightly. He closed his eyes a moment. “I apologize,” he whispered. Laurent sat still, his heart pounding. He let out a small cough. His throat still felt funny. “Well,” Damen turned to face him and Laurent could see how the expression on his face had completely changed now. “If all that yesterday was just me getting my money’s worth, then hey, it was great. You’re not obligated to more. I paid for your virginity. I got it. We can part ways.”

Laurent sat stunned. “What?” He asked in disbelief.  

“Like you said, I paid for sex. To take your virginity. I got it,” Damen said. “You can go.” Laurent sat still and watched as Damen got up and left for the living room. Not knowing what else to do, Laurent got up and walked behind him.  

“Hey!” Laurent said grabbing his arm. They were by the breakfast nook table. Damen turned to face him. “What the hell is your problem?” 

“I have no problem. I’m just glad you reminded me this is a business transaction, that’s all.”

Laurent shook he’s head. “You don’t get to do this!” Laurent said angrily. He felt the hot sting of tears. Damen’s eyes softened slightly. “You don’t get to  _do this_!”

Damen’s shoulders relaxed, suddenly feeling regret at what he had just said. 

“You don’t get to make love to me, and... and tell me it’s never like this and ask to meet my brother!” Laurent got louder with each word.

“Laurent,” Damen said softly. 

“No!” Laurent yelled. He took a deep breath. “No. No! Ok! No! Don’t play with me!” 

“I am  _not_ -“

“Don’t act like this means something to you when you plan to leave in a few days, Damen!”

Damen stared at Laurent. He felt awful. 

“Now, I know I’m partly to blame, ok? I know I came here yesterday looking for it, but... but you get to go back to your life and... and...” 

“And?” Damen asked. Laurent looked away. “And deal with a divorce and spend six days a week working,” he confessed. “I’m not about to go and be a playboy and party and fuck around, Laurent! That was never and will never be me!”

Damen turned and walked into the living room. Laurent watched him go. He walked after him and sat beside him on the couch, tucking his legs under him. 

“I am so sorry, Laurent,” Damen said softly. “I’m sorry.” 

“For what?” Laurent asked. 

“I got carried away,” he said softly. “Yesterday felt so good and then we talked.” Damen shook his head. “I don’t remember when the last time I truly  _talked_ to someone was.” Damen shook his head. “I... my marriage was a mistake and it’s suddenly so fucking clear and it’s... it’s so confusing at the same time! And I lost my wife and my brother on the same day! I can’t just talk to anyone about this! Even my dad! He doesn’t want to hear it! He doesn’t want to choose! Which is insane.” Damen was panting slightly. He looked into Laurent’s eyes. “But... but I can be me and  _talk_ to you.”

Laurent looked on. He slid his hand up Damen’s arms. “Of course, you can talk to me.”

Damen closed his eyes and nodded. 

Laurent sighed. “I’m sorry too,” he whispered. 

“Laurent you have nothing to be sorry for,” Damen said. 

“No, I am. I tend to fuck things up and -“

“What? No. No. I... I’m sorry.” Damen repeated. He turned to look at Laurent. “Laurent, I wasn’t  _expecting this,_ ” Damen said, a slight air of desperation in his voice which echoed all Laurent was feeling inside. All that felt impossible yet tangible.

Laurent felt his heart thump in his chest. “Expecting what?” Laurent asked softly, still not believing any of it.  

“ _This_! You!  _Us_!” Damen declared. 

Laurent sat still. “I... so you feel something too?”

“Yes,” Damen confessed. His heart was racing. He had felt it from the first phone call. He truly couldn’t deny it now. He didn’t want to. 

Laurent closed his eyes. “Please, Damen,” he whispered. “Please don’t toy with me. I have no defense against -“

“I do not toy with you,” Damen said softly and turned to face Laurent properly, on the couch. Laurent opened his eyes. “I am... I am serious.” He took a hold of Laurent’s hand. “I’m serious,” Damen repeated. “I know this is strange and I know why you wouldn’t be inclined to give me a chance. To give me some trust but...” Laurent stared at Damen. “I just want to see where this can go.”

Laurent kept staring at him. “And you know this from just this short time?” Laurent asked.  

Damen looked right into his eyes. “Don’t you?” Was his reply. 

“Yeah but who  _wouldn’t_ fall for you?” Laurent asked honestly. “Who  _wouldn’t_ jump at a chance of being with you -“ 

“Ok then!” Damen said and squeezed Laurent’s hand. “Jump at the chance! Be with me. Let’s see what we can do. Let’s see where this can go.”

Laurent stared at Damen, mouth slightly open. 

“But we’re doing this the right way and I’m here now so I want to meet your brother. That way if I can’t fly here and I fly you to Europe he knows who you’re with and who I am. I don’t want to be a dirty little secret, Laurent. I’m not about to have you lie to your family. That doesn’t sit right with me, I’m sorry.”

Laurent could only nod. “Ok,” he said after a moment. He didn’t know what else to say and the whole thing felt slightly insane but... but why not? He knew he felt something, it was obvious Damen felt something. He looked at him now. He met Laurent’s gaze. He looked... guilty. “Are you feeling bad about this?” Laurent asked softly. 

Damen gave him a soft smile. “I mean ideally I wish I had met you another way, but I don’t regret it,” he said. “I’m way too selfish to regret this,” he said and his smile widened a bit. He looked at Laurent. “I just... I’ll give you the time to see I’m not... I’m not playing games.”

Laurent simply gave him a nod. A knock came to the door. 

“That must be your clothes,” Damen said and got up. Laurent sat on the couch and watched Damen walk off and heard some muffled voices. Damen returned with a garment bag. “Your clothes,” he said with a smile. 

 

Laurent had eaten breakfast and then had showered and dressed. He was very glad he had a turtleneck on. Damen had riddled him with marks. Laurent loved them though. They had decided Damen would follow Laurent and off they went. Laurent spent the whole 45 minutes driving thinking about what he would say and how he would say it. Suddenly he was pulling into his street. He couldn’t believe he was about to do this. Should he? Wasn’t this insane?! He pulled into his long driveway and parked. Damen parked behind him. 

Laurent watched as he exited his car and walked to Laurent who was adjusting his backpack. “I probably should have changed into a nicer sweater,” he said and Laurent couldn’t help but smile. “You only get one chance at a first impression.”

“You look perfect,” Laurent said simply. 

Damen nodded. “Thank you. So do you,” he replied.  

Laurent chuckled. “Well, they won’t care about me.” 

Damen let out a breath. “So we’ll just mention we met online?”

“Yeah, I mean technically we did, and we wanted to meet in person and so here we are!” Laurent said. He looked up into Damen’s eyes. He looked nervous and it was the sweetest thing Laurent had  ever  seen. His heart fluttered. “Damen,” he said softly. “Are you sure -“

“Laurent?!” Auguste’s voice rang out. Laurent turned and saw his brother at the front door, holding the screen door open. 

“Here we go,” Laurent said and he could see Damen’s pulse racing. Laurent slipped his hand inside Damen’s large warm one and pulled him forward. He saw Auguste furrow his brow slightly but he cleared his throat and gave Damen a wide, welcoming smile. 

“Hi!” He said. 

Laurent took a deep breath in. “Auguste,” Laurent said. “This is my friend, Damianos. Damianos, this is my brother, Auguste.” 

“You can call me Damen,” he said as he gently let go of Laurent’s hand and shook Auguste’s outstretched one.  

“Nice to meet you, Damen,” Auguste said warmly. “Please, come on in. My wife just made some spaghetti -“

“Oh! My favorite!” Laurent said. Audrey was in the living room and perked up when she saw Laurent. 

“Lolo!” She squealed and ran to him. 

Laurent grinned. He dropped his school bag and picked her up, throwing her up on the air. 

“Again! Again!” She yelled. 

Laurent did it a couple of more times and then Laurent hugged her. He turned to face Damen. “This is Audrey,” he said. 

“Hi Audrey!” Damen said smiling and waving. 

“Is that Laurent?” Ada called out. “I thought he was gone all weekend.”

“Yeah! He... He brought a friend,” Auguste said and Ada came out, hair up in a bun and wearing overalls. Her eyes widened a bit when she said Damen. Damen stood straight. 

“Hello, I’m Damen, nice to meet you,” he said.  

“Ada,” she replied, with a smile that was widening. “Wonderful to meet you!” She glanced at Auguste and her eyes widened, but she was grinning. “Well, come on Audrey, let’s wash your hands!” She said and Laurent handed her over. 

“Laurent, help me set the table?” Auguste asked. 

“I can help too,” Damen said and Laurent saw how much that pleased Auguste. 

 

Once the table was set and Audrey was in her high chair, they sat around and began to eat. Audrey was her loud self but Damen took it in stride and Laurent really liked that. When she was done eaten, Damen stood up to help Ada take her out of her high chair, and he gently set her on the ground. 

There was small talk during lunch, Damen mentioned his family owned banks and businesses, but there was quite a bit of interruption with Audrey. Once they finished eating, Auguste, Laurent and Damen moved to the living room. 

“Coffee?” Auguste asked.  

“I’m good thanks,” Damen said and they sat down. Damen sat beside Laurent on the love seat and Damen slid his arm round Laurent’s shoulders, and crossed his legs, putting his ankle over his knee. 

“So,” Auguste began. “So how long have you two been...” 

“Talking,” Laurent said. 

“Talking,” Auguste repeated, nodding. 

“Just a few weeks,” Damen replied. Ada walked in. She had the baby monitor in her hand and she plopped down beside Auguste. Damen smiled at her. “Laurent and I met online and I... we...” he said glancing at Laurent. “Wanted to meet asap so I flew out here.”

“Oh,” Auguste said. “Where do you live?”

“Technically in Greece but we own banks all over Europe, so I’m in Paris a lot,” Damen said nonchalantly. Auguste and Ada sat frozen, their eyes open wide. “But I travel. A lot. I’m going to New York this coming weekend and then I’m hoping to make some business in Italy.” 

“Wow,” Ada said. She shook her head. “How old are you, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“Twenty four,” Damen told her.  

“Yeah, you look young I’m just impressed,” she said.  

“Well, my father started back before I was born, actually. Bought his first bank and the rest is history,” Damen explained. “My brother doesn’t... well he and I butt heads but I’m more business minded than he.” 

“So you don’t actually live in the US?” Auguste asked. 

“No, I don’t reside here,” he said. “But you know... that can change. Never know,” he said running his hand down Laurent’s back. 

Laurent bit his lip and looked at both Ada and Auguste. “Guys I know this is sudden,” he said. They now looked at him. “And I know... I know I never mentioned him before...” he glanced at Damen and gave him a small smile. “But... but well, we’re seeing where this is going and I wanted you guys to meet and see him...” Laurent trailed off looking at Ada and Auguste nervously. He could feel his cheeks warm. 

Ada cleared her throat. “Of course!” Ada said. “And were so happy to meet you! And,” she said nudging Auguste with her elbow. “We’re so happy you brought Damen over and also glad you two have met! That way you were able to see if that chemistry you felt while talking on the phone or messaging translates in person!” 

“Yeah!” Damen said.  

“Right!” Laurent replied and he was sure his cheeks were even redder now. He and Damen glanced at each other and the warm smile on Damen’s face made Laurent relax. Without thinking he leaned into him and Damen kissed his forehead. Laurent looked at Auguste and Ada and saw them exchange a look and then smile at each other.  

“As long as you’re happy, little brother,” Auguste said warmly. “That’s all that matters.”

“Thank you,” Laurent said. 

 

* * *

 

The meeting with Nicaise had been funnier. His eyes widened when he saw Damen. 

“Sorry!” He said, snapping out of it. “It’s just you’re so much bigger in person than when you’re in an Instagram photo!” 

“Oh you’ve been on my Instagram?” Damen asked and Laurent couldn’t help but roll his eyes.  

“Did you really think I’d keep that to myself?!” Laurent asked. Damen chuckled. “How about we go get coffee?” Laurent asked and Nicaise readily agreed. 

Laurent had left his car at home so they rode in the SUV Damen had rented. They went to local spot Laurent and Nicaise frequently visited. “No Starbucks?!” Damen asked. 

“No!” Laurent said rolling his eyes. “We support local businesses. This shop is owned by this super nice couple and they have  the best  pastries!” Laurent said grinning and he loved the way Damen grinned back.  

They got coffee and pastries and sat at a booth with nice couch seats. Laurent pulled his legs up and criss crossed them. He smiled when Damen sat so close to him, his leg rested on his thigh. 

“So...” Nicaise said looking at them and squinting his eyes. “Are you guys a  _thing_?” 

Laurent grinned and Damen chuckled. “We’re a let’s see where this takes us thing,” he replied.  

Nicaise threw himself dramatically on the table. “Oh thank GOD!” He said. 

Damen looked at Laurent confused and Laurent shrugged. “Nicaise! What are you talking about?!” 

“Well,” he said as he raised his head. “Since it was  _my idea_ ,” he explained. “I was worried you would fall for Mr. Rich and Perfect over here and get your heart broken into a million pieces and it would all be  my  fault!”

“It was your idea?” Damen asked incredulously. Nicaise nodded. Damen looked at Laurent. “Is that true?”

“Well he told me about the site but didn’t make me,” Laurent said. “As you know I needed money for Auguste’s treatments and -“ 

“And desperate times called for desperate measures,” Nicaise said softly. Damen still looked shocked. “Believe me, bro, if I had had the money I would have given it to Laurent in a heartbeat!”

Damen nodded. “Ok!” Laurent said. “The only people who know  exactly  how Damen and I met are right here right now.” Laurent looked at both of them. “I have  no  regrets,” he said furrowing his brow. “And it won’t go any further than us.” 

“Of course,” Damen said and stroked Laurent’s cheek with his thumb. “It won’t. It’s no one’s business but ours and I regret  nothing  either sweetheart.” Laurent looked into his eyes and Damen leaned in and kissed him. Laurent let out a breath and slowly smiled. He felt wonderfully peaceful. 

“Laurent?!” Came from behind him. 

Laurent turned to look and his eyes widened. “Nik!” Laurent said. 

Nikandros was eyeing Damen and the way Laurent’s leg was on his thigh. Laurent felt Damen pull him in a bit closer. “You gonna introduce me to your friend?” Nikandros asked, eyes not coming off Damen. He had already met Nicaise. 

“I’m more than his friend. I’m his lover,” Damen said in a calm smooth voice. 

Laurent saw how Nicaise’s eyes widened and he mouthed ‘Burn!’ Laurent was just glad Nicaise didn’t say it out loud. This wasn’t Nikandros’s fault at all. “Damianos,” Laurent said softly. “This is Nikandros. Nikandros, this is Damianos.”

Nikandros said something in Greek and Damen responded. Nikandros nodded. “Seems you have a type,” Nikandros said to Laurent. He turned to Nicaise. “Good to see you, Nicaise,” he said. They fist bumped and Nikandros turned and walked out.  

“What did he say?” Nicaise asked.  

“He said ‘good luck handling him,’ meaning you,” Damen said nonchalantly before he took a sip of his coffee.  

Laurent made a face. “What the fuck!” He said annoyed.  

“What did you say back?” Nicaise asked.  

“I said I handled him just fine,” Damen answered with a grin. Laurent felt his face heat up. 

“Oh! Awesome!” Nicaise said with a laugh. Laurent shook his head and Nicaise talked a million miles an hour to Damen. Laurent looked out the large window of the coffee shop. He watched Nikandros get in his car and take off soon after. Laurent turned back to the conversation at the table. “So I like almost died!” Nicaise was saying, laughing.  

“Holy shit!” Damen said looking alarmed. 

“But I’m allergic to strawberries and tomatoes. So I have my epipen with me  all  the time,” Nicaise said.  

“Oh are you telling Damen about when we found out you’re allergic to green onion?” 

“Yup!” Nicaise said. “So, Laurent stabbed me with an epipen and rushed me to the hospital.”

“Exciting times,” Laurent said laughing. He looked at Damen as he laughed and he and Nicaise made more conversation. He slid his legs down and scooted closer to Damen. When Damen turned to smile at him, Laurent leaned in a gave him a kiss. 

They stayed at the café for a couple of hours just chatting and laughing. They then dropped Nicaise off and Laurent ran in to pick up his suit.  

“Holy shit, Laurent!” Nicaise said once they were in his room. 

“I know!” Laurent said. He couldn’t stop grinning. 

He pulled the neck of his turtleneck down to show off the biggest hickey Damen had made and Nicaise’s eyes almost popped out of his head. “You slut!” Nicaise said and Laurent laughed. “How was it?” He asked quietly. 

“Amazing!” Laurent said. “It was fucking amazing.” He let out a breath. “I’ll give you more details later. I’m gonna go!”

“Ok!” Nicaise said and pulled Laurent in for a tight hug. “Be careful ok? And text me when you get a chance.”

“I will. It won’t be til tomorrow though, because I know Damen has the night planned.”

Nicaise grinned. “Ok. Have fun!”

“I will!” Laurent said and hugged Nicaise again. 

They exited his room and jogged down the stairs and Laurent exited Nicaise’s home. He hung his suit in the back and then got in and he waved as they drove off. He glanced at Damen and smiled. 

“So what are we doing tonight?”

“Ah, that my darling, is a surprise!” Damen said with a wink. Damen reached for his hand and Laurent took it and squeezed it. He felt butterflies in his stomach and he had never been happier. 


	5. The Coda

Laurent looked at himself in the mirror. He was in the tuxedo Damen had gotten him. It was perfectly tailored and the quality was obvious. It was gorgeous. He had worn a suit twice in his life. The first time for his parent’s funeral and the second for when Auguste was married. He had worn dressier clothes for prom and high school graduation... but nothing as beautiful and fancy as the suit he was in now. He had decided to leave his hair down. Damen seemed to like it down. 

He took a deep breath in and out. Damen had showered and then Laurent had showered and as he was drying himself Damen had called through the bathroom door and told him to take his time. He would be waiting in the living room. Laurent was now nervous. This is how Damen had wanted to see him, dressed up... Laurent had sort of ruined his plans. 

He stood up straight and walked out of the bedroom. He stood still a moment. Damen was himself in a tux as well, it seemed. Laurent gazed at him as he looked out of the large corner windows. The sun was setting. The orange hues were reflecting off his face. He had his hands in his pockets, feet slightly apart. He was a gorgeous form. Laurent’s stomach tightened. He slowly began to move forward and he was half way across the living room area when Damen turned and looked at him. Laurent froze. Damen’s face broke into a gorgeous smile.  

“Wow,” Damen said softly.  

Laurent felt himself blush. “Wow,” he said motioning to Damen. Damen chuckled. 

“You are a vision,” Damen said. 

“As are you,” Laurent replied. 

Damen held his hand out and Laurent gave him his. Damen bowed and kissed Laurent’s hand. Laurent grinned his heart pounding in his chest. “If it would please you,” Damen said softly with intense eyes. “I would like to take you out on a proper date.” 

“It would please me greatly,” Laurent replied back. 

 

* * *

They took off in a different car. It wasn’t the SUV Damen had earlier. It was something shiny and flashy and fast. Laurent wasn’t big into cars he didn’t even know what kind it was, but it was obvious it was expensive. 

“Been thinking about buying one,” Damen said. “Thought I’d try one out.”

“It’s... fast,” Laurent said. 

Damen grinned and slowed down. “Sorry, I just wanted to show off.”

Laurent looked at him in surprise. He was sometimes a little blown away by Damen’s honesty, but it was such a breath of fresh air. “You have no need to show off, Damianos,” Laurent said, figuring one honest statement deserved another. “You have impressed me beyond belief. I believe I will be eternally impressed.”

Damen blushed and Laurent fell for him even more. “Thank you,” he said. “I’m not... I’m -“

“You are to me,” Laurent said, again speaking the truth and they drove on in a sweet and comfortable silence. After a while Damen reached over and took Laurent’s hand and they laced their fingers together for the rest of the drive. 

 

The restaurant seemed the stuff of fairy tales. Laurent had never heard of it but he had never been to this area before. It had designer boutiques and expensive jewelry stores. There was valet parking and the cars were just as flashy and looked just as fast as Damen’s. The men were all in tuxedos and the women in gorgeous dresses. Damen stuck his elbow out and Laurent slid his hand inside. As they walked into the restaurant Laurent noticed there were several couples of men together. Some beautiful women embracing as well. 

Damen gave his name and they were whisked inside. The inside was marvelous. It had gorgeous plants on the walls, hanging vines with gorgeous flowers in soft pinks and fuchsias and whites and purples. There were potted trees here and there. Each table it’s own little paradise. Damen and Laurent were led deep into a corner away from most of the hustle and bustle. There was a gorgeous low hanging Tiffany lamp.  

“Enjoy, gentlemen,” the host said and walked off. The waiter showed up quickly and took their drink order. Damen ordered a bottle of wine. The waiter took off.

“I’m sorry! Europe is much more lax at this! You’re not even 21!” Damen said.  

“I don’t think he cared!” Laurent said. 

“I... how old are you?” Damen asked.

”I’m 18,” Laurent said shyly, wondering if suddenly Damen would imagine him too young.

”And so mature, that’s amazing,” Damen said looking at him with adoration and making Laurent blush.

The bottle was brought over and wine was poured for both. Laurent asked for water and it was given to him in a chilled stemless wine glass, ice inside and a slice of lemon on the side. They were then left alone. Laurent opened the menu and saw nothing had a price. He blinked and wondered how much this place was.

“I heard this was the place to dine in around here,” Damen said. “A business partner said he and his mistress frequent it when he’s on the West coast.”

“Mistress?” Laurent asked. 

“His Wife is terrified of flying,” Damen said with a chuckle. Laurent said nothing. “I wouldn’t... I shouldn’t have said that,” Damen said.  

“No. It’s alright,” Laurent said.  

“I’m trying to make such a good impression. I always do this, I put my foot in my mouth constantly.” 

Laurent gazed at Damen in amazement. “But I told you, you’ve already made a good impression!” 

“Right, but I want this to last, not be a one time thing when you realize you maybe thought I was more than I am.”

Laurent shook his head. “Just be you. You were you last night. Wasn’t it easy?”

“It was,” Damen said.

Laurent looked back to his menu. His head was swimming with thoughts. Everything from Damen’s cheating soon to be ex wife to him wanting to be something so special to Laurent he could never be replaced. “I’m not her,” Laurent said softly. He looked up and saw Damen’s surprised stare. “I’m not her. I won’t... bore. Ok? I won’t... I’d never do what she did. I like what I’ve seen so far. Just be you. Ok?” 

“Ok,” Damen said softly. Another silence stretched as they looked through their menus. “Thank you,” Damen whispered after a while.

 

* * *

 

Damen seemed to truly relax after that. He quit trying to impress and he was himself and they spoke more and Laurent felt himself just loving everything he heard. Damen loved chess and to read and said he enjoyed cooking. He spoke five different languages, so many people in Europe spoke two if not three, he said shrugging as if nothing, and Laurent grinned. 

“You never told me what you’re studying,” Damen said. 

Laurent grinned. “Business,” he said. 

Damen’s eyes grew wide and Laurent laughed. “You mean I can talk business with you?” Damen said excitedly. “You could work with -“

“Damen!” Laurent said. “It’s my first year. Ok? I...” he shook his head, trailing off. 

“Ok, ok,” Damen said reaching over and taking Laurent’s hand. “But I still get to talk business when I need to vent.” 

“Anytime you’d like,” Laurent said with a smile. “I told you, you can always talk to me.”

 

There was a downstairs to the restaurant. It had a gorgeous mahogany bar and a grand piano which was being played beautiful by a man in coattails. The music varied but when Damen asked Laurent to dance it was a slow melody. 

Laurent looked up into Damen’s eyes as they swayed side to side. “Is this adequate?” Damen asked softly. 

“I feel like Cinderella,” Laurent said. 

Damen grinned. “Well you have the blond hair and blue eyes,” he said and pulled Laurent in just a little closer. “But I promise my car and I won’t turn into a pumpkin and a mouse at midnight.”

Laurent chuckled. He sighed and closed his eyes and leaned into Damen’s chest. He felt a soft kiss on his forehead. They swayed for a while more. 

 

* * *

 

The ride back to the hotel was a little more subdued. Laurent had the rebottled bottle of wine on his lap and he and Damen held hands all the way back. 

“The place was amazing,” Laurent said glancing over at Damen. “Thank you for taking me.”

“I’m glad you liked it,” Damen grinned. “I will take you back as often as you’d like.”

“Maybe for a special occasion,” Laurent said. “It looked really expensive.”

“Well my time with you is a special occasion,” Damen said. 

“As beautiful as that was I’d be just as happy eating pizza and watching a movie,” Laurent whispered. “It’s being with you that makes me happy.”

“God, Laurent. You are so perfect,” Damen said and raised his hand and pressed it to his lips a couple of times. 

“It’s the truth,” Laurent said softly and glanced at Damen’s profile and felt the butterflies in his stomach as they took theexit that led to their hotel. 

 

They were in the elevator to their room when Damen crowded Laurent against the wall, lifted his chin up and kissed him. Laurent felt so good. He thought it was sweet how Damen wanted to impress him and he knew all the extra things, the suit, the restaurant, the dancing, Damen didn’t have to do any of them. That was just Damen being Damen. He could never imagine doing anything like this without trying to make it special and it made Laurent warm inside. 

When the elevator dinged opened, they exited and Laurent felt the urgency with which Damen pulled him down the hallway. They reached the door and Laurent pulled Damen in for a deep kiss. Damen opened the door as he and Laurent kissed deeply, stumbling inside. Damen pushed Laurent against the wall, kissing him roughly. There was something different this time, about the way they were kissing. Damen seemed more bold, more needy. Laurent loved it. He moaned as Damen yanked off his bow tie and opened up his shirt, seeking access to his neck. 

Laurent’s hands fumbled with Damen’s clothing but finally opened his jacket and pushed it off. They were further down the hallway. Damen’s tie and shirt came off in the living room area. Damen grabbed Laurent, lifting him the last bit they had left for he bedroom. Damen slid his hand in Laurent’s hair, tugging. 

Laurent had been thinking of this. Of what he wanted. He undid Damen’s pants and pushed his chest hard. Laurent undid his pants and slid them down, along with his boxers, now completely undressed, he climbed on top of Damen, pushing his pants and boxers down, and kissed across his broad chest. Laurent let his hands roam as he caressed Damen’s body. He kissed down his body. 

“Laurent,” Damen said. 

“Hmm,” Laurent answered as he gave open mouth kisses to Damen’s stomach. 

“Have your ever..?”

Laurent looked up and felt himself blush. “No,” he said softly. 

Damen pushed up on his elbows. “You don’t  have  to -“

“I want to,” Laurent said furrowing his brow slightly. “I want to with you... can I?”

Damen nodded slowly and Laurent kept kissing his stomach, caressing him. Damen was in great shape, his abdomen was muscular and skin smooth. Laurent loved it. Loved everything about it. And then, he licked his lips. He pressed his tongue to the base of his erection and gave a long lick up. The way Damen moaned made Laurent grin. He did it again and this time, when his erection flexed up, Laurent took it in his mouth and began to suck. 

Damen was writhing underneath him and Laurent loved how everything felt. It was such a wonderful feeling knowing that he was pleasing Damen. Laurent swirled his tongue around Damen’s erection tasting him, sliding him in and out. Damen groaned with pleasure as Laurent pleased him. He slid Damen mostly all the way out, swirling his tongue around the head, pressing it on the slit, sucking harder. 

“Oh fuck! Fuck! Laurent!” 

Laurent pulled back and looked up at Damen, wiping his lips off. “What?” He asked. 

“You’re going to make me come!” 

“What’s wrong with that?” Asked Laurent laughing. 

“But I want to make love to you,” Damen said pulling Laurent to him, kissing him. 

They kissed deeply and Laurent let Damen turn him over, laying on top of him. Damen reached for the lube and Laurent turned over onto his stomach. He got up on his hands and knees. He felt Damen kiss up the back of his neck. 

“You want it like this?” Damen whispered, voice thick with arousal.  

“Yes,” Laurent answered. 

Damen swept his hair to the left, kissing the right side of his neck. Damen slid in, Laurent groaned at the stretch. Damen held his hips as he began to move in and out of him, Laurent groaned in pleasure at the feeling of it all. 

This lasted for a wonderfully long moment. Damen slid his hand across Laurent’s lower abdomen to his erection and stroked him in time with his thrusts until he came. Damen then came, holding him tight, until he had emptied himself completely inside him. 

 

They laid in bed later, Laurent laying on Damen’s chest, caressing it. 

“So,” Laurent said softly. “You go to New York this weekend?”

“Yeah,” Damen said. “I have a meeting and some things to attend to.”

Laurent nodded. “So,” he continued softly. “So how often do you think we can see each other?”

Damen kissed his forehead. “As often as possible. I will fly here when I can and fly you out whenever possible.” Laurent nodded. “Well, call, text, FaceTime.”

Laurent nodded. “Yeah,” he said. 

“Would you come spend the summer in Europe with me?”  

Laurent looked up into Damen’s eyes. “Yes,” he said softly. 

“Good,” Damen said. “We’ll make it work, Laurent. I believe in us. We’ll make it work.”

 

* * *

_Three Years Later_

 

“You got your passport? Plane ticket?”

“Yes,” said Laurent rolling his eyes. “This is like my hundredth time flying to see Damen, Auguste! When have I ever forgotten anything?” Laurent asked. 

Auguste grinned. “Well I’m never going to stop asking.”

Laurent shook his head and chuckled as he looked out the passenger window. 

“It always sucks when you’re gone the summer. Nicaise lives with us practically sulks those times, until the weeks come when he gets to go see you of course.”

Laurent grinned. “Well, he loves you guys as much as I do.”

“And we love him,” Auguste said. 

They finally made it to the airport and parked. Laurent rushed out the car and to the trunk. “You’ve  just had surgery don’t you  dare  pick up my luggage!” Laurent said seriously. 

“Ok, surgery was ten weeks ago and I’m perfectly fine! The doctor told you and Ada that after my successful treatment and transplant, I am fine!”

“Whatever, unhand my luggage,” Laurent said. 

They put his bags on a cart and made their way inside the airport. Once he was ready to board Laurent and Auguste hugged. 

“Have fun, little brother,” Auguste said with a wide smile. “Tell Damen hi and have a wonderful summer.” 

“Thanks, big brother,” Laurent said grinning. “Send me lots of pictures of Audrey because she’s going to look different in two months when I come back!” They hugged and when they began to board first class, Laurent turned and went to board the plane. 

 

* * *

 

 

Laurent had been in Venice for three weeks with Damen. They had been relaxing during lunch, talking about this and that, when a knock had come to their hotel room. Laurent knew Damen so well by now and when he saw the grin on his face he knew he was up to something. 

“What’s going on?” Laurent asked. 

Damen jumped up and walked to the door and returned with a couple of garment bags. “I got us some suits.”

Laurent rolled his eyes but grinned. “Baby you’ve bought me a million and one suits!”

“Well, I got you another! Dinner tonight is a special occasion! It’s our three and a half year anniversary.” Laurent laughed. He would never get used to how Damen spoiled him. “You’re too good to me!” He said.

”It’s no more than you deserve, sweetheart,” Damen said warmly. Laurent grabbed his face and pulled him in for a kiss.

 

* * *

 

Laurent smiled as he looked over Damen who looked incredible handsome. They held hands as they walked inside the opulent restaurant, Damen gave his name and they were led inside the gorgeous establishment. They went up a flight of marble stairs and as they reached the top Laurent heard voices. He furrowed his brow and looked at Damen who was grinning.  

They reached the top of the stairs and Laurent heard a chorus of voices. “Surprise!” 

Laurent stood shocked as he saw Auguste and Ada and five year old Audrey. Nicaise was there, as well as Damen’s parents who Laurent had met a couple of years ago during his first trip to Greece. 

“Whoa!” Laurent said. He looked at Damen with wide eyes. 

“Are you surprised?” Damen asked. 

“Yes!” Laurent said and went and began to hug everyone. Damen’s parents were incredibly warm towards Laurent. 

“Well,” Damen said and everyone turned to face him. “I’m so glad everyone came,” he said as he slid his hands in his pockets. “I wanted all of you to share this special moment with Laurent and I.”

Laurent chuckled. “Our three and half year anniversary?” 

“Well, that and...” Damen said sliding his right hand out of his pocket which now had a navy blue box. Laurent froze. His eyes widened as his heart began to race. 

Damen took a couple of steps forward and got down on one knee, in front of Laurent. He opened the velvet box which had a single thin golden band inside.  

“Laurent,” Damen said. Laurent clenched his hands into fists to make them stop shaking. “These last three and a half years have been the absolute best years of my life.” 

“Mine too,” Laurent whispered. He blinked the tears back.

Damen grinned. “You have filled my life with happiness and brightness and everything positive. I love you.”

“I love you,” Laurent whispered. 

“Will you marry me?” 

“Yes!” Laurent said excitedly and jumped into Damen’s arms the moment he stood up. Everyone cheered and clapped. Damen slid the thin gold band on Laurent’s ring finger and they kissed while everyone clapped again. 

Laurent looked to everyone else. “Did you all know?!”

“Yes!” Everyone said as Laurent moved to hug everyone all over again. When he got to Damen’s parents they both hugged him together. 

“I’m so happy!” Damen’s mom said. “You’re a wonderful young man and a perfect partner for my son!” 

“Thank you!” Laurent said hugging her again.  

Everyone finally sat back down and had a wonderful dinner. 

 

* * *

 

_One Year Later_

 

Damen had his hands over Laurent’s eyes. 

“I hear seagulls and smell ocean!” Laurent said.  

“So astute of you, husband,” Damen said laughing. “We’re almost there. 

“Is this necessary?!” Laurent said with a wide grin. 

“Yes!” Damen said. “This is my wedding present to you and I can only see your reaction to it once and so I’m going to fully enjoy it.”

Laurent and Damen has just married the day before in St. Tropez. The ceremony had been intimate and wonderful. They were now beginning their honeymoon and Damen had taken six weeks off work. Laurent had been overwhelmed by it. He had never imagine Damen would take so much time off.  

“Well, we have to start the marriage off right,” he had told Laurent.

”And I am _not_ complaining baby!” Laurent had replied excitedly. 

Damen gently stopped to Laurent from walking. “Ok!” Damen said and uncovered Laurent’s eyes. Laurent froze as his eyes swept over the large Codecasa yacht. “For you, my love,” Damen said with a kiss and taking in his surprised expression.

Laurent saw the name written in Greek. He had been studying Greek these last couple of years and was becoming quite good at it. “You called it Prince,” Laurent said softly.  

“It’s named after you,” Damen murmured in his ear as he hugged him from behind.

 

There was a staff, of course, but they were discreet and kept out of their way. Their first night was incredible. The yacht had a temperature controlled pool and hot tub. Laurent and Damen climbed into it naked. After a lot of kissing and touching, Damen pulled Laurent to him. 

“Here,” he said. “I want to have memories of me fucking you everywhere in this yacht. 

Laurent groaned as Damen slid inside. Their skin was still warm and slippery from the hot tub. It was fast and hungry and Laurent came really quickly, Damen soon after. 

Damen wrapped Laurent in a towel and Damen lifted him and walked him to their bedroom. 

“You’re all mine,” Damen said as he gently laid Laurent down on their bed.

“I’ve been yours for quite a while,” Laurent reminded him softly, smile creeping up on his lips as he pulled Damen on top of him. 

Damen looked at him and caressed his cheek. “I love you,” he whispered. 

“I love you,” Laurent replied. 

“You’re not sleeping tonight,” Damen growled and he began to kiss Laurent’s neck. 

 

Laurent awoke, blinking his eyes slowly. He looked around and didn’t see Damen. He got up and stretched, pulled some shorts on and walked out. He took a deep breath in of the salty ocean air.

“Oh husband!” Laurent called out in a sing song voice. 

“I’m here baby!” Damen called out. 

Laurent walked through the yacht to the kitchen where Damen was in his boxers, reading a newspaper, breakfast laid out before him. Laurent grinned as he walked in and saw the sight. “Mmmm,” he said. He slid into the leather covered bench seat beside Damen and kissed his cheek,  wrapping his arms around Damen’s shoulder and then kissing down his neck. “Smells amazing!”

“Wasn’t sure what you wanted to went for your favorites!” Damen said as he placed a plate on the table in front of him. 

Laurent reached over and grabbed his hand. “Thank you,” he said. “I love you.” 

“I love you more,” Damen whispered leaning in and kissing Laurent.  

They ate and then walked out into the sunlight and gazed out at the ocean. Damen wrapped his arms around Laurent’s waist from behind, kissing his cheek. “Did you ever think when we decided to see where this went we would be where? Four and a half years later, married?” 

“I hoped,” Laurent said softly rubbing Damen’s forearms. “I hoped,” he repeated. 

“Well, baby, here we are,” Damen said. “How do you feel?” 

“Amazing,” Laurent said. He turned and faced Damen, who looked like a modern day Greek god with the sun shining down on his dark curls, soft brown eyes and perfect lips. “I’m so lucky.”

“I’m the lucky on baby,” Damen said softly. “You and me. Together. Forever.” 

“Forever,” Laurent repeated giving Damen another soft kiss. He rested his cheek  on Damen’s chest and looked out at the ocean and couldn’t believe this was now his life. 


End file.
